Batman Beyond - Burning Passion of Love
by tmdrago
Summary: From many years later for Bruce Wayne is no longer Batman to still be with Megan to start a bounty hunter business. For one girl escapes from Derek Powers to use her as a weapon with fire powers; to run into Terry McGinnis to lose his father to do something about it. For them learning from Bruce's secret - for Terry to become the new Batman, and Gwen Grayson as Batwoman. Love! :)
1. Rebirth

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 1 – Rebirth

(Tayla: Alright, on to another fan fiction story from the series Batman Beyond itself to see what if this happens in the way future, will we? Yep? From the original Bruce Wayne to still be himself to not be Batman anymore fifty or is it seventy years later; to have one person who escape from the Powers to have someone he has made who's a woman with fire power to be a clone from someone DNA to find her family 'goes by Gwen Grayson' – to losing her sister to meet with a new Batman name Terry McGinnis to make a friend to help her, as her personality helps her right back as someone else...Batwoman! So, enjoy as we see what if it happens in the far future with the other super heroes, some villains, new ones of each, and all of this in Gotham City. Also, there will be some Megan Tsuki in this one of course for her to secretly be married to the old Batman to be Bruce without anyone noticing.)

In an airplane hangar just outside of Gotham City, a group of kidnappers watch a news report about a failed attempt by Derek Powers to take over Wayne Enterprises. The news also states that the kidnappers have failed to release their hostage Bunny Vreeland in spite of being paid five million dollars in ransom. As it turns out, they plan to execute Bunny and make a getaway with the money. Fortunately for her, Batman arrives, wearing a new suit that lacks a cape but features retractable wings and jet boots along with increased strength, flexibility, propulsion, agility and other abilities. Batman manages to subdue most of the kidnappers with limited effort, although he does get a brief crippling chest pain afterwards. However, just as he is about to untie Bunny, the thug leader ends up ambushing him with a wrench (with Bunny attempting to warn Batman of the oncoming attack by gasping). As the Caped Crusader is engaging the last thug, he is suddenly struck by crippling chest pain severe enough to bring him to the floor. The last kidnapper, wielding an over-sized wrench, unleashes a savage attack. As he continues his vicious battering, he smugly comments how Batman had been getting in the way of people like him since he was a kid. Unable to defend himself and in serious danger, Batman snatches up a weapon dropped by one of the other kidnappers in desperation...a handgun. As surprised as Batman is to see what he has done, his attacker runs off fearfully, before being intercepted by the arriving police. The old Megan to still be a bounty hunter to starting off her new class to hire other ones to train, sees her lover not looking so well the way Batman use to do things.

"Hey, Batman, we did it." she said. "Alright, team! Go free Bunny!" Megan gives her students an order to help her husband. "Hey, Bruce. It happened again, didn't it? That's the seventh time this month."

Injured, Batman limps outside the hangar. He removes his mask and reveals a gray-haired, older appearance. Upon realizing he was wielding a handgun, something he had sworn he would never do, Bruce is enveloped in absolute horror and revulsion; it was that very class of weapon that violently ended the lives of his parents, and what drove him to become Batman. He then drops the gun and walked away in shame.

"I'm sorry, Megan, but for us to be together...I might have to stop this. But you, carry on the task for me." he said.

"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Megan was lost to follow Bruce back to the Wayne Manor. "Bruce! Bruce!"

Back at the Batcave, Bruce puts the Batsuit in the costume display gallery alongside his other crime fighter costumes and his original batsuit that he used to wear as Batman. Realizing that he has grown too old for crime fighting anymore, he takes one last look at the Batcave from the top of the stairs and solemnly vows.

"Never again."

I guess he meant it for Megan Tsuki to stay as Megan Wayne for the years to come by her man's side.

"I guess it is over..." she follow Bruce to live a normal business life and herself a bounty hunter. "Probably for me later on the line real soon. Let's go, Bruce."

And from there, the original Batman was retired and Megan was still with the man she loves for the years to pass afterwards. No worries, she'll come around from time to time... promise. Twenty years pass and Gotham City has changed much in this time, according to a current newscast. Derek Powers has managed to take control of Wayne-Powers, and has been increasing his power and wealth by gobbling up smaller businesses. Well for him has an upcoming project he's making for a weapon to save Gotham and the world if it works. What kind of project?

"Mr. Powers, the code weapon Burning Lily should make its way to your company somewhere tomorrow."

One of Derek's partners tells him that to keep a close eye on this one.

"Good, I'm looking forward to seeing her." he said to have a file on human cloning powers. "Throughout the years to not find anyone with a special gift, we got one who works wonders from one person to my creation. Once she comes, it'll change everything. See to it to keep her in line if she tries to escape."

"Of course." the person said to his boss.

Human cloning to having a type of super powers? That didn't sound good. For Derek's men does so to carry out a tank with the scared person inside of it who wanted out but couldn't break free. As one member split to break it open to freeing...its a girl! With long brown hair, dark blue eyes with one side covered from her hair, pale skin, looked pretty, and had the power to create fire from her body. But who was she?

"Idiot! You dropped it!"

"Yeah, but she's not going anywhere." one person said. "Come on, kid, get back into the tank like a good girl."

She was scared to do anything to see and feel freedom all around her.

"No...Please...don't hurt me...No more..." said the scared girl.

"She can't do anything, you idiot." the other one spoke. "Let just grab her and get going."

From one person to do so for the girl to feel threaten, her body starts to burn up 'as a type of self defense' to set a fire.

"STOP USING ME!"

Wow! That sure starts a big fire to put one guy up and lives for the others to move away, allowing this girl to escape in time.

"She's getting away!" one member said to the others.

"After her! Mr. Powers must have this weapon brought back to him alive!"

And the chase is on for this girl to hide her powers somehow from others in the crowd of Gotham City, it won't be so easy to do other than hiding her clothing to take some from off the streets. Elsewhere -

a teenager dressed as a clown climbs onto a public elevator and starts making trouble. Just then, Terry McGinnis deals with the clown and grumbles 'Jokerz'. At school, he gets into a fight with Nelson Nash which gets him into trouble. Back at Terry's house, his father Warren McGinnis gets a desperate message from his co-worker Harry Tully.

"Warren, its me Harry."

"What is it?" he answers the man on the phone.

"Its Project weapon the Burning Lily has escaped." said Harry. "She's in danger and this is big to get this man out of business if we find her first. Could you meet me somewhere in a bit?"

Warren knew right away on what that part meant, its finally happening to try putting Derek Powers out of business.

"It has?" Warren was surprised to hear. "Of course, Harry, I'll be right over."

Warren meets with his co-worker who has several dark patches on his skin.

"Here, keep this disc on you at all times."

This guy didn't look so good.

"Harry, your arm. What's wrong?" worried Warren.

"Nothing! If anything happens to me, save the project and protect that disc with your life, Warren. I mean it."

Tully gives Warren a disk and is dragged off by Mr. Fixx, a large man who works for Powers.

"Come, Mr. Tully, you don't want to be late with Mr. Powers." said Mr. Fixx.

Powers summons Warren to 'clear up' any misunderstanding. He explains that Tully simply had an accident, but he's going to be fine.

"By the way, Mr. Warren, you wouldn't know about Harry's missing files to the project I'm working on, would you?"

Powers also asks if Warren has anything Tully gave to him, which Warren denies.

"No, I don't know." Warren answers.

"Of course you wouldn't." Derek said back. "Go on, you can go back home."

From Warren leaving how Mr. Fixx was looking at his boss Derek, he knows that Harry told him about the project escaping to try to fix the matter at a hand somehow.

"Mr. Powers?"

"I know, Mr. Fixx, Harry told Warren and he's hiding something from me. I must get her back by any means..." he had a plan. "Put the word out to bring to me alive by my men. Our weapon the Burning Lily will be mine to use, Gwen Grayson."

Wait...Another Grayson? But Dick Grayson the original Robin and the new Nightwing never had children, did he? Something wasn't right to have a girl with his last name. For poor Gwen was running away with no end from Derek's men to be looking all over for her. She was afraid to be around other people with her powers to not hurt them or become like they are, that is very sad. Upon returning home, Warren reviews the data on the disk and becomes distressed and shocked at the information on the disk that's about Gwen's powers and how she was made. Terry tells him that he's leaving but Warren forbids it as Terry's grounded, despite the fact that he didn't start the fight.

"That's your problem right there! You can't control your temper, and you'd better if you expect to get anywhere in life!" Warren said to his son.

"Yeah. I'll be a big success, just like you." After a brief argument Terry leaves in anger.

As he leaves, Powers's hit man Fixx watches and grins, seeing that Warren is now alone. Oh, no...Terry heads out to a nightclub and meets up with his girlfriend Dana Tan. While he talks to her, Nelson arrives but before any trouble can start, a whole gang of clowns known as the Jokerz arrive and start wreaking havoc. One of the Jokerz goes on top of Nelson's car. J-Man briefly grabs Dana on his motorcycle before getting a punch from Terry. Terry starts fighting them but when reinforcements arrive, Terry is forced to flee on one of their motorcycles. Gwen sees this to see some danger to help out Terry somehow, though scared she didn't want to see others get hurt.

"Clowns...dangerous."

The gang chases Terry down a seldom-used road 'to have Gwen go fire up all over to burn some tires out to not have them killed but stopped'; and Terry swerves to avoid hitting an old man, which causes him to fall. Ouch...! Those two see a girl on fire to block the Jokerz gang member making their way to the area.

"What you trying to do, get run over?" Terry questions the person and then seeing another one. "And...why is that guy on fire?"

Gwen fires up to somehow wanting to put a stop to this madness. The Jokerz catch up with Terry.

"Aw, the no fun boy had an accident." said J-Man. "And with someone who's already roasting the scene."

"Let's put a smile on their faces." Smirk got his pocket knife out.

Just then, the old man reveals himself as Bruce Wayne, and demands that the Jokerz leave, but they attack instead. Its Bruce! But as a old man now.

"Leave them alone. And get off my property, you're all trespassing."

Together, he, Gwen in her fire form, and Terry manage to fight off the gang but Bruce suffers from his weak heart. Soon Gwen got scared to put a few of them on fire to put out in time and makes her get away by flying.

"Now that was weird... (I wonder who the fireman was? He can sure put up a fight.)" said Terry to helping out Bruce next. "Are you okay?"

"My medicine...Its inside." Bruce points the way to his Wayne Manor.

Terry takes him inside and gives him his medicine but the old man falls asleep and his dog Ace prevents Terry from leaving, so Terry decides to call his father so he can pick him up. While trying to call his father, Terry notices a bat trapped in Bruce's clock and frees it. However, as he does so, he discovers a secret passage that leads into the Batcave. Upon seeing the costumes, Terry learns Bruce's secret but Bruce attacks him from behind and angrily throws him out. Okay, now he knows that Bruce Wayne's Batman.

"Hey! Its not like I did anything wrong!" Terry yells to then take off on foot. "Freak..."

Upon returning home, Terry finds his house in shambles and the words 'ha, ha, ha' written in graffiti all over the house. The police are there as is his mother. They inform Terry that Warren has been killed, and the Jokerz are apparently responsible. After the funeral, a grief-stricken Terry moves into his mother's house and tearfully expresses his regret for not being there to help his father, especially since he was grounded in the first place and refused to listen. However, Terry discovers the disk among his stuff, and after reviewing the data that has something to do with the Burning Lily project 'like the one he saw Gwen who helped him out', he begins to suspect that the Jokerz may not have been responsible, and runs off, but Powers' people are watching and see that they have found the disc they're looking for. For Gwen to see something was up to have one man killed the other night to be Powers doing to get her angry; and then Terry seeing her again to try to run away as fast as possible.

"(Oh, no!)"

"The person the other day who's on fire." Terry remembers the disc saying so. "Wait! Don't go, I just want to talk to you!" He chases Gwen all down the streets to go flying from the fire powers to save some people from the fast car to melt the tires and not burn others really fast, only to be stopped by another car to run to a puddle of water to put the fire out and weakens her badly in pain to show her true form for Terry to see. "Wait...That weapon person's a girl?!" Terry helps her out to take her somewhere off the streets to see on Gwen's conditions and her name tag on her wrist. "Gwen Grayson?"

She comes around to get warm with her fire powers back to have trouble standing to move away from Terry, scared if he works with Derek Powers.

"Ah!" she freaks out.

"Sorry, I had to warm you up. You're affected by water since you can do fire powers...and such..."

"What's with you?! Ganging up on a girl! I bet you work for Powers to take me back, aren't you?" Gwen accuses Terry.

"What?!" he was lost. "No, no! I wouldn't! Look, my Father was killed to have something to do with Powers he once worked for. It was the Jokerz gang. And what do you mean about working for Powers? Is he after you?"

Terry seems to be innocent enough for Gwen to believe in him. Trying to move in closer, she slaps him in the face to burn a little.

"Stop! Don't touch me! What's the matter with you?!" she said to hide her emotions. "Look, Powers' a bad person, you should stay away from him. I'm going back there again. And...he did do something to your father, I saw..." Gwen drops the bomb to trying to run away again. "Just let the cops handle it and stay away from me, I'm fire to burn anything or anyone. I'm not a person like you are."

There goes Gwen to run away again for Terry to see that Gwen was the project Burning Lily to feel bad for her.

"She knows of the person who murder Dad...?" he was shock. "Derek Powers...And this project name Gwen Grayson, she looks sad, she seems harmless to me."

Terry goes to Wayne Manor after Dana drops him off there and tells Bruce what's happening over the gate intercom.

"Good luck..." Dana said to driving out next.

For Terry then tells Bruce on what happened to his father and he wants to get back on whoever murder him from the disc he found.

"Come on, I know you're in there!" he gets no answer. "Listen to me! Something stinks in your company! I think it cost my old man his life!" Terry pulls out the disc. "The answer's on this! I'd take it to the cops but you know how cozy they are with Powers! It has something to do with a girl who can create fire name Gwen Grayson. She might be in trouble. How about you taking a look?" he still no answer. "Yeah, I should've known you wouldn't care. You're no Batman, ya whacked out old fraud!" Bruce pretends to ignore him, but eventually lets Terry in to investigate to let Ace know he was coming in. "Relax, Scooby Doo, its just me."

Now we're talking! Bruce reviews the data on the disk and discovers that Wayne-Powers is making a nerve gas that can completely destroy healthy cells.

"Its not good." said Bruce. "He's making some type of deadly nerve gas. And the project Burning Lily, it s a girl name Gwen Grayson you said. She's a weapon to stop the affect to protect Powers and his company, like a walking antidote."

"Fire can burn the deadly gas?" Terry asked to see something else on it. "Wait...She's a clone!"

Well, Gwen's a half clone. Something about her dying almost to be brought back with some tpye of fire powers to have that Derek has created.

"A half clone, almost close to death to have a DNA from someone I once knew." this makes Bruce angry. "Using a human as a weapon is unforgivable...! And Powers' using my company for it...!"

As he fumes over this information, Terry assesses the final Batsuit. "Stay away from that. I'll let Commissioner Barbara Gordon have a look at this to save the girl." Bruce tells him to leave the suit alone and tells him to take the disc to Commissioner Barbara Gordon.

"Aren't you going to-?"

"No." Bruce give Terry the final answer.

Terry wants Bruce to do something about it but he refuses, saying that Batman is no more, and Terry leaves.

"You have to do something!" Terry tells him "You're Batman!"

"I was Batman."

Sorry, Terry, no go.

"Something happened to you, didn't it? And wasn't just that you got old."

As Terry walks away, Derek Powers and his henchman Mr. Fixx nearly run him down with their limo and demand the disc back. For Gwen to be seeing Terry again and Derek who's after her, she had a feeling she couldn't abandon someone who saved her life.

"Warren McGinnis has a son..." she said to feel upset. "What am I doing? I can't see someone get hurt, not even to that monster Derek..."

Terry gives back the disk and manages to escape with his life for Gwen to come in to smoke the area, knowing now that Powers will be looking for him.

"Its you!" surprised Terry.

"There she is, Mr. Powers!" Mr. Fixx sees her.

Trying to melt to guns from the their hands to burn and hurt, to grabbing Terry's arm to make a run for it.

"Lets go!"

For Powers now will get Terry with the disc and Gwen one way or another.

"I want them brought back to me at once!" he gives his men an order. "You can hide, Gwen, but you can't run from me forever! I will find you." Powers got away with the disc. "I got the evidences for now, this matters the most. Gwen's next on my to do list."

Well, he got the disc but not the girl for Terry was happy to see Gwen again.

"Ah, man..." he felt bad to leave the disc behind. "Gwen, thanks for saving me again. But your life's in danger."

She still had some trouble trusting in humans.

"I know...that's why you better go home and hide, I have to do to this and finally be set free. This is something a human can do."

"Human? You're half human yourself!" Terry said back to Gwen.

Looks like Terry knows a little about her already.

"Who told you?!"

"Calm down." he tries talking calmly to Gwen again. "I'm on your side. You can trust me. There are punks out there who are bad, that's true. But not everyone are the bad guys."

"True...But I'm afraid to hurt them from the clowns..." she remembers. "From the burn motorcycles, that could've been them."

"But the people you saved on the streets, it shows you're a good person."

Terry does have a good point about Gwen to have the key sense from doing those thing, to never be used as a weapon to have her powers be controlled to use for good.

"I did...?"

"If you knew about my Father's death, that makes you good. I'm his son, Terry McGinnis. And Gwen Grayson...Its kind of a cute name." he said. "Wow, I could go out with you if I wasn't already taken. But I still wish to help you out."

Making Gwen blush a little. For Terry was being friendly to her, she still has trouble getting use to the outside work than becoming a prisoner type of slave again.

"(Help me...?)" to her surprise to feel a bit scared. "Look, Terry, this isn't a game. I want Derek Powers gone, what he's going to do is to kill someone name Bruce Wayne to own everything with everyone worthy but those who work for Bruce." Gwen then tells her story about her past. "I was code name the project weapon the Burning Lily. I was among the other people or clones to have powerful weapons, for us to train non-stop from a even to happen, though I had something skillful when I was little, I remember my Father knowing little about my Mother to not be love; but at one time I can tell they were close for my Father gave some of his DNA to me for my older sister who was a scientist took me in, all was well for some people got killed or destroyed from the project. It gets worse for Derek Powers to appear to change us differently, about everyone else...I became the chosen one as his new lively weapon, trying to murder everyone else, my sister saved them all but me to be stuck with the madman and her getting murdered by some...nerve gas to take hold of her entire body to watch her die! I was too late to save her, my fire takes out the problem for Derek to use on me against Bruce and the people working for him; with it he could use me to save the other likes himself and his company to take over the entire area of Gotham, and then sell me to the Kobra group who are ten times worse to do bad things to others. So I want to get back a Derek for hurting others and avenging my sister, to hopefully find my Mom and Dad who are still out there to this day forward, I want to. Although, I want to save lives to not be like me and to those who escaped alive with powers of their own...I'm still scared of this world for others to be happy or to hate me, that's why I can't risk it to hide among you, Terry, among other people. Don't you see now? That's why I'm not human to almost die as a half clone project if my sister was still alive, but she isn't!"

Terry gets it to start crying again to remind Gwen from losing his father to start hugging her.

"You're just like me...Alone, scared, no one to understand you...I'm sorry, Gwen."

"Huh?" she was confused. "What are you doing? I could burn you."

"If you did, why am I not on fire?" Terry questions her. "Its going to be okay, please...help me. You can't do this alone."

Feeling Terry's tears to feel weird, but it didn't take out her fire too much to feel his pain.

"Terry?" Gwen stares into his eyes. "(This boy's different like I am...) These tears don't hurt me...You are like the good water I can trust as I'm fire to bring kindness and not fear. Human emotions."

Terry smiles a little.

"If I wasn't crying to begin with, then what kind of human wouldn't I be with pure heart?"

He does make a good point there, Gwen. Seems not that she trusts Terry a little more to both stop Derek Powers by any means to have some kind of plan to do before moving out.

"Okay, Terry, I guess you're fine to talk to, for a human." she said. "What do you have in mind to get back at Derek?"

Later that day, Kaznian Minister of Commerce Vilmos Egans arrives in Gotham and is greeted by Powers. At Wayne Manor, Bruce is watching this on TV, when he hears Ace barking and finds that he's been tied up. Bruce releases Ace, then follows him to the Batcave, revealing that the power suit has been stolen. Oh no he didn't! Ha! And he wasn't alone either have some type of burn markings on the ground for Ace to be smelling.

"The Burning Lily girl." Bruce took a wild guess there to learn more about her. "Gwen Grayson." he calls up Megan who's a bounty hunter company boss on others to take care of the job to hunt down wanted bounties. "Megan, its me. I need your help looking up on someone, a cloning project done by the Powers company for the Wayne business, it could be a trouble."

Terry, in the suit, clumsily flies towards the Wayne-Powers tower and eavesdrops on a conversation between Powers and Egans. Gwen follows Terry to be flying with her power of fire to keep a low profile.

"Terry?" she helps him out.

"Trying to get use to this thing." he said. "Gwen, I told you to get a costume."

"I did." Gwen shows Terry an odd bag. "I saw it earlier when we got out of the Wayne Manor, but its different."

"We can't let others see you with powers, maybe when you're wearing a disguise the more you feel around other humans. But right now, we have bigger fish to fry."

So the two get to work for Gwen to have a mask on like Nightwing or Robin to cover their eyes with, only to be a bit pointer for her hair to stay up.

"Okay, Terry, I'll go where you go to as long as we can stop Derek Powers." she said. "I'll put the other parts on later, I keep the mask for the time being."

Works well enough to do.

"Deal." Terry smiled.

And the sneaking around they go. As evidence of the gas's legality, Powers shows Egans footage of the gas being tested on plants, then on a calf, and then photographs of Tully after his accident. Ah, man...he didn't make it either. It was a set up to cause it, not an gas leaking accident! And with the fire done by Gwen Grayson is used to keep some unharmed from the gas to burn away, will protect anyone for Powers to use from it but those he wishes to kill with his gas. This angers Gwen a lot.

"Derek Powers...!"

She was losing her cool to cause a fire to show for Terry stops Gwen.

"Calm down, Gwen, keep it together." he said.

"Ah!" Gwen stops it. "I'm trying, but this is too much to hear after what he has done to almost me to become a living weapon, the same happen to my sister, and now the animals and that man Harry are murder. It just so hard, Terry."

Egans is impressed, and Powers assures him that the gas will be shipped out that very night; his assistant Mr. Fixx will personally see to it. After Egans leaves, however, Powers is concerned that Terry is still alive with Gwen. Fixx tells him not to worry, revealing that he is the one who killed Warren. Now this gets Terry very mad for Gwen to feel his pain.

"They did...WHAT!?"

"Oh, no..." shock Gwen. "Terry, I'm sorry. I told you that Derek's a bad man who needs to be stopped."

Security guards discover Terry and Gwen and attack.

"Too early for Halloween, you two."

Terry takes flight.

"But in time for fall." he drops down to make his escape. "Gwen!"

She follows him using her fire powers.

"Wait up!" Gwen makes smoke to have the police lose sight of them.

With the power of the suit, Terry is able to evade them with ease but he receives a call from Bruce, who demands the suit to be returned but Terry refuses.

"I want that suit back. You had no right." he said.

"You didn't do anything." Terry tries to hide from the cops with Gwen. "For us to be in a tight spot, we have to do something."

"I know about Gwen's story, its you I want from taking my suit, Terry. I'm warning you now..." Angered, Bruce activates a kill switch on the suit, paralyzing Terry.

Well, this wasn't good.

"Terry?" Gwen checks on him. "What's the matter?"

The guards now find that he can no longer fight back and pummel him.

"Hey!" Terry couldn't move.

Gwen shields Terry with her fire skills.

"STOP! DON'T YOU HURT HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM!"

One of them then aims a gun.

"Hey, Wayne..." Terry asks for Bruce's help. "They're going to kill me...!"

"Hey, Bruce Wayne is it?" Gwen tries talking to him. "Look, Terry knows what he's doing. I'm the one you should blame, not him. In case you're wondering, Derek's going to kill you and other with the gas to use me as a weapon to keep him safe, he murder my sister. And I want payback! And he even murder Terry's father to his co-worker with the gas! Come on, Bruce! You can't let this go on! Let us have this!"

Bruce shows mercy on Terry and reactivates the suit, on one condition to make with Gwen.

"Control your fire powers and I'll help you." he said. "Gwen, you want to get back, you have to fight back first. Do we have a deal?"

Megan must've told Bruce about the suit she left for Gwen to use in battle.

"Me? Where this...?"

"Don't be scared. If you trust in Terry as much as I am, then trust me. Become one with the suit to have the powers to use, don't run away as a normal human. You are with a pure heart who needs human who can trust you. Become someone else who you can get rid of your fears. Do it." he said.

From Gwen pushing Terry's stuck body away for a few seconds, she give it a go to become someone else.

"Ah...Okay." she does it.

And with his power back, Terry manages to fight off and evade the guards again.

"Alright!"

Bruce tells Terry of an escape route he had built into the building, allowing him to evade the guards. He still demands the return of his suit, while Terry wants to go to the transport pad to stop the shipment. Bruce threatens to shut off the suit again, this time, permanently. Terry pleads, reminding Bruce of his parents' death and saving Megan Tsuki the woman he fell in love with; and saying that this is his one chance to catch his father's killer. Bruce gives in.

"Very well, I'll guide you. But don't go there alone." he said. "Gwen, its time."

For Gwen was a bit shaken up, she moves around to give in to the fears and was all set to go in her...new and improved Batwoman suit, same colors like Dick's Nightwing, but more of a bat look and a girl's version all black and blue all over with a bat symbol on the front instead.

"Okay, I'm ready, Bruce." she appears to fight a lot faster, strong, and can control her body of fire to be in the suit only and not the skin. "Yeah! Ah, man! Check it out, Terry-! I mean, Batman. Here's your new partner, the new and improve version of Batwoman. I feel like I'm a brand new person!"

Seems like it too it was hard to tell it she was really Gwen Grayson under the mask, nicely done. Bruce tells her to be someone else, and she was.

"Batwoman? Nice touch." Terry likes it. "Come on, we got Powers to deal with next."

"Right! To stop the madness and save Gwen's life. (Hey, I can get use to to this. Act like someone else...Keep this up, Gwen.)"

And off to two go.

"Wish us luck." Terry/Batman the new one said.

Bruce hopes for the best from them both to be the new hope of Gotham now.

"Good luck." he says back quietly.

Terry and Gwen make their way to the hover docks and discovers Powers and Fixx supervising the loading of the gas. They are attacked by more security guards. For Batman to give it his all, and Gwen to use her fire powers against them without holding back.

"You two are done. For you, Powers, for using human weapon projects!" Batman tells him. "And you, Mr. Fixx, for the murder of Mr. McGinnis!"

For Terry has to deal with the guard first, Batwoman steps in to make her and Batman's introduction.

"Hold it!" she goes on fire. "Whether you two already know who I am or not, I will stop you with us taking you both down! For us...sometimes, we're out going, sometimes we like to have some fun, or other times...we like to stop crime such as this. Behold!" Batwoman does a posing stands. "The brand new heroes of Batman and Batwoman!"

"Batwoman...? Gwen?" Powers knows who Batwoman was from her fire powers. "Mr. Fixx, get that hover craft in the air!"

On Powers's orders, Fixx gets into the hovercraft and takes off, while Powers stays behind to deal with Terry.

"Batwoman!"

From his cries for help, Batwoman uses her Batarangs made of fire to stop Powers from shooting at her partner. With Terry to do the same by throwing his own Batarang, which Powers shoots out of the air with ease.

"(Now's my chance, here goes...)" Batwoman flies in for a fiery spin double kick. "Hey, Powers, time to have a taste of your own medicine!"

Terry then throws a gas canister, which Powers shoots without thinking and Gwen kicking it down at the man she hates, exposing himself to the gas.

"No...!" Powers was then affected from the gas. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Terry and Gwen fly after the hovercraft.

"And that was for my Sister." Gwen said to go after Mr. Fixx next. "Batman! The hover! Let's fly!"

Boarding the hovercraft, Terry and Gwen confront the pilot, only to find that the vehicle is on autopilot, and is ambushed by Fixx, armed with electrified knuckle dusters.

"Batwoman, try to take control of the hover ship!" he said. "And cover me!"

"I can make fire, not do machines you know!" Gwen gives it a try.

For the new Batman was strong against Mr. Fixx as Gwen tries to take hold of the hover to stop, but had trouble to.

"You're pretty strong, for some clown who thinks he's Batman." Mr. Fixx said while fighting with his enemy.

Well, mister, he is the new Batman in this future.

"I am Batman!" Terry, now officially declaring himself Batman, manages to fight him off and knocks him into the ships controls.

For Gwen to see Mr. Fixx's electric knuckles to be working, she melts it to short critic everything to get stuck in them.

"Burn, baby, burn!"

The hovercraft falls into the ocean, burying its cargo and Fixx together. Yeah! First time for Terry as Batman and Gwen as Batwoman, they did it to fits bump their hands to one another.

"Awesome!" said Terry. "Way a go, Gwen, you can put up a fight."

"Thanks, same with you too, Terry." she was happy. "I hope me acting differently isn't bad. Or my powers when I'm not Batwoman..."

Terry didn't mind at all, Bruce wanted Gwen to do all of it remember?

"Its fine, its perfect for you. With Fixx defeated and Powers expose to his own weapon...we got payback, he's out for good, and you're free."

Gwen was happy to lose the name tag off of wrist to be her real self not in public.

"Yeah, freedom...A new life for me...But where will I go next?"

That's some split personality to help Gwen to be someone differently to fight by Terry's side as Batman to become Batwoman. For Megan and her other bounty hunters appear to have some of Powers' men arrested but no sign of the big boss.

"Well, my work here is done." she said. "I guess we have both a new Batman and Batwoman on our side. Nicely done, Bruce." Her new look is an ol woman to be pretty to Bruce's age to still fight and uses smarts to be in her black komodo uniform.

That morning, Terry's mother wakes him and tells him that Bruce and Gwen were there to see him.

"Terry, look who came by."

Bruce tells Terry's mother that Terry saved his life and defended him from the Jokerz.

"Gwen? Wayne?" Terry was surprised to see them again.

"Ah...Hi, Terry." Gwen was shy around other strangers to sit with Bruce.

Seems that Gwen got a new look to wear as well to show her other eyes from her hair quite lovely for Terry to see. Wearing two white earrings, a pink-like tank top with white stripes, with long sleeve type of gloves on her arms, with a black skirt, and long black boots to fit right into the world of others like she was one of them.

"Its fine, Gwen, I'll take good care of you like a niece I never had. I knew Dick Grayson, he's a good person."

Well, we know that he's Gwen's biological father.

"You know my Father, Uncle Bruce?" she was happy to hear. "(Then he's still alive.) I'm so happy."

"You'll be happier to have Terry your new friend to join you working for me. And yes, you can call me Uncle Bruce."

She trusts him to hug Bruce a little to show that she won't be a lone anymore, and a bracelet like Megan has to control her powers of fire this time to wear until she goes into her Batwoman costume. Cool!

"And this bracelet won't let me release my powers." she tries it to get nothing. "I like it. I can get use to this life. And yes, Uncle Bruce, I'll help you out and I'll trian more to control my powers."

"Now we're talking." said Bruce. "Do not remove it until you're Batwoman, best to be safe and sorry."

"Right."

So like Gwen, Bruce also offers Terry a job as a part-time assistant, which Terry accepts, knowing that the offer is really to become the new Batman and Gwen to stay with Bruce to help him out, live there, and take care of Ace.

"I should warn you, I can be a difficult taskmaster. I accept nothing short of excellence in all who work for me." Bruce makes a point to Terry.

"I think I can handle it." he shakes hands with Bruce. "And Gwen, it'll be awesome showing you everything in the real world."

For the two to be blushing, Gwen likes the idea very much.

"As long as you and Uncle Bruce are there for me, I can learn a lot more. (And knowing of my Father, finding my Mother comes next.)"

So those two were in.

"Very good then, Mr. McGinnis. And you too, Ms. Grayson." he said. "Welcome to my world."

"Of course." Gwen said with a smile.

For Terry to be seeing this of Gwen looking happy for Bruce was glad, and for Terry to be blushing all over to change him completely for his heart to race all crazy-like. Why is that? Well, already having a girlfriend Dana Tina, something might be different with Terry with Gwen hanging out...

"(Wow...Gwen and me working together...And yet, I can't stop blushing. I think I have a crush.)"

Oh, boy...A new beginning for Batman and Batwoman to start a new life stopping crime together, so cool! While back at Wayne-Powers, Powers is exposed to intense radiation to eliminate the gas. The radiation succeeded in saving his life. However, the radiation therapy, combined with the gas's mutagenic properties, radically altered Powers's body. He is now emitting radiation so powerful that his skin is now translucent, and he appears as a glowing green skeleton.

"I guess I do need Gwen Grayson this time to cure me..." he said in a wicked way. "I know who Batwoman is." Seeing himself in the mirror, Powers begins laughing maniacally.

Yep, only the beginning to have a new super villain in the future of Gotham that Derek Powers turns into and wants Gwen's powers who knows she's Batwoman by any means to kill off Bruce Wayne and the new Batman. And his new name is Blight.


	2. Black Out

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 2 – Black Out

A lone truck drives up to a building owned by Foxteca and things seem quiet. Suddenly, a strange black blob soon slips out from the shadows and sneaks into the main control room. The blob forces its way into the controls and causes several explosions throughout the building. When the fire department arrives, the blob manages to escape in one of the trucks. What is this, another very of Clayface from the future version? That morning, Bruce heads over to see Derek Powers, who greets him but smoothly hides the files on his desk, asking Bruce not to touch a black statue in his office. Bruce says that he isn't there to take full control of Wayne-Powers, but warns Powers to stay off the back of Foxteca, a business owned by Lucius Fox, Jr.. Bummer...from there, Terry and Gwen waited for their boss back down stairs.

"Well, well, the McGinnis's boy and..." Powers didn't think that Gwen would be working for Bruce now. "Gwen Grayson?"

"We work for Mr. Wayne now." said Terry.

"And I found Gwen all alone with nowhere else to go, so I've decided to adopted her as my niece to aid me." Bruce explains. "She doesn't like some people she's not use to."

Gwen tries to be strong around Powers to still be alive from the nerve gas, for they don't know far from on what that madman has turned himself into.

"(Please don't notice me, Derek...)" she speaks up. "Mr. Powers, I am the new niece to aid Uncle Bruce from his business as Terry my best friend has been hire by him as well to help around the place." Gwen bows to try to keep her fire powers under control since the bracelet she has one. "Please have the business nice and simple, thank you."

It was good for Powers to find Gwen to get her someone, to have other different test subjects like her to grab hold of and destroy Batman somehow.

"Oh, please to meet you, Gwen, I heard a little about your new daily work. I hope you'll do well. And for you, Terry, to help out since your father sadly was killed. I'm very sorry for your loss. Good day now."

With the three leaving, wen was shaking a bit more to feel really upset to talk to someone like Derek Powers.

"I still can't believe he survive a gas that could've killed thousands...!" she said.

"Hey, it'll be fine, Gwen, we'll find out more later." said Terry. "You got anything, Bruce?"

He'll keep on trying...

"Not yet, but I'm getting somewhere. Megan will aid me on the rest later."

"Cool, and to help out Gwen fit in at my high school, can we get some time off?" Terry asked.

Terry asking Bruce that type of question, I doubt it.

"Yeah, right." he smiles to turn to Gwen next. "You'll fix right in with Terry and the others, Gwen, just be yourself."

She'll try to still be a bit shy for those she doesn't know.

"Easy for you to say, Uncle Bruce. Besides you, Terry, and Ace are the only ones I can trust on so far."

After Bruce. Gwen, and Terry leave, the statue turns into Inque, and she expresses concern that he is snooping. Powers dismisses her concerns, saying Bruce is just a tired old man.

"Now remember...Whatever you do to Batman and Mr. Wayne, make it quick. And for Gwen, I want her brought back to me alive." he tells Inque. "Are we clear?"

"But of course..."

The next day, Gwen becomes the new student in high school to say hello the best she could around other people.

"Ah, hello! I'm Gwen Grayson! I'm new around Gotham and out of town to be aiding Mr. Bruce Wayne on his left over business and a good friend to Terry...I hope we can all be good friends." she said the best she could let out. "(I don't think they want to be friends with me after this...)"

For the other students try to get to know Gwen a bit well for some girls to like her, some to be jealous, and other guys to find her cute.

"You did great." Terry tells her.

"Thanks, Terry." she tries to say hi to Dana next. "Hi, I'm Gwen. You and Terry must be close."

She shakes hands with Gwen.

"Hi, Gwen. And yes, we are close to be dating. You'll fit right in with the others soon."

Not bad on the first day so far for Gwen was physically skillful and smart to have normal grades to still pass in a few categories. Night once again falls over Gotham and Terry, Gwen, and Dana are watching a game at high school. And to see Terry's rival Nelson to be a big shot, to be winking at both Dana and Gwen to be watching him, but I think he's winking at Dana the most. Yeah, Nelson's not a bad guy in my version. A bully, yes, but he does have stronger feelings to care and a lot more on Dana. You'll see why later.

"Ah, I don't like this Nelson person looks at me!"

Gwen covers her eyes to hide her face.

"Someone likes you, Gwen, but don't bother with Nelson. Trust me." Dana tells her new friend. "A better looking and smart guy will come for you one day. Still, Is it wrong to root for the other team?" she asks Terry next.

"That depends I guess." he said back.

A date for them to hang out with the new girl in school...Unfortunately, Terry is called away on business: Inque is going after another Foxteca building.

"Ah, Terry?" Gwen quietly points out to Terry.

"Ah, gotta work, Dana, sorry. Mr. Wayne needs me and Gwen to clean office for Mr. Wayne." Terry takes off with Gwen. "Excuse us."

"Nice meeting you, Dana."

A good start, but Gwen will get there to start liking Dana so far.

"I still think you two working hard with Mr. Wayne isn't normal." she tells them.

And for Terry...

"You have no idea."

As Terry and Gwen head on over, Bruce is busy analyzing a sample of Inque. He explains that Foxteca and Wayne-Powers have submitted competing bids to build a new lunar station for the government.

"I'll try to get something from my end, and you two see what you can get from inside of Foxteca."

Roger that, Bruce! As for Gwen to keep her cool to suit up quickly to becoming Batwoman with a cool attitude and some fire power to removing the bracelet to be all set to go.

"Celebrating the early Fourth of July I see, from the inside. Ready, Gwen?" Terry checks on his partner.

"As I'll ever be, Terry, here goes." she does a cool trick to change outfits. "Burning passion! Batwoman!" and Gwen becomes the crime fighting hero with style and attitude. "Ta-dah! Hi, Terry. Or rather, the new Batman I see. Don't mind me talking and acting like this, I would call it a new personality to keep Gwen's hot temper powers in check to aid others...While also stopping the bad guys. Check it!" she fighting well from punches and kicks to be on fire today. "At least no one will know of the sweet Gwen has a awesome half of hotness from my life style."

Terry sees from Bruce telling Gwen Grayson from her split personality to keep her in check from her inner self to be good, tough, strong, and awesome in battle to help her get through the day to remain calm.

"Now I see why you showed up for Gwen."

"She asked and I said, yes. I love stopping bad guys. Real life super hero stuff and such. Now then, to the building!" she flies on in. "Batman, don't keep us waiting...Or rather me for the public people to believe in."

Batman and Batwoman go in to investigate and Inque attacks them both.

"McGinnis. Gwen. Get out of there now!" Bruce warns them too late.

Inque gets to Batman first. She was super strong!

"Ew, we got a creepy crawler on our hands, Batman!" Batwoman sets her fire a blazing. "Try taking the heat, sweet heart!"

With her shape-shifting abilities Inque is easily able to stop Batman, although she almost gets burned from Batwoman's fire power to avoid and manages to escape.

"Too hot!" she said. "Sorry, you two. It was nice meeting but I'm done here. Bye."

A whole new enemy and not to be mess with, Inque is far different than Clayface.

"What the heck was that?" questioned Terry/Batman.

Gwen however knows who it might be.

"(Wait...she's another me, but really mean.)"

Yep, another test subject who escaped that Gwen doesn't know on the rest to know that there are some who are very bad.

"Oh, crap!" surprised Batwoman. "Looks like we heard from Gwen herself. This is another person who's like we were, or rather her but I'm not someone who turns bad. You two better get to work on this goop fest."

Terry and Gwen soon confront with Bruce with the fact that he doesn't know much about crime-fighting, beginning with the fact that he doesn't know what half the memorabilia in the Batcave is.

"It was a type of blob monster that Gwen might know of to turn into a living weapon like she did, but...different! Straight out of a monster movie!" Terry was freaking out. 'You should've told me!"

"I did." Bruce added.

"Ah, Terry...I said, I know of the powers from other, and that lady was one of them."

With Gwen saying that, they know that Inque won't be so easy to be stopped.

"Wait...How do you know its a girl?"

Megan comes to the Batcave to explain to the two. Hey! She's back!"

"Ever heard of a woman's intuition, kid?" she said to hug her husband. "Hi, Bruce."

"Hi."

The two kissed for Gwen and Terry to see Megan Tsuki/The Psyche bounty hunter for the first time in person.

"Uncle Bruce has a girlfriend?" Gwen was lost to see Megan's wedding ring. "You two are married?!"

"Yep. It's me, Megan Tsuki, the Psyche bounty hunter. I heard a lot about you, Gwen, with fire powers and the new Batwoman personality to keep in track to control your powers. Those were the days..." said Megan. "And you, Terry, I see why you became the new Batman. Amazing..."

"So you're Megan Tsuki? An old lady who's married to Bruce Wayne secretly as the original Batman?"

Megan hits Terry on the head. "Hey!"

Looks like she was still tough and stronger from her old age today.

"I'm not old! I'm still pretty and strong, stupid! Don't say that I'm old again!" she corrects Terry. "Kids these days."

Bruce explains about his wife.

"Nothing ever chances the way I feel about our love, Megan." He said. "Megan has been with me after my retirement. I left her some money to start her own business to stop crime with other people who became bounty hunters like her, sometimes she goes off to gather information to send to me. Married secretly to be the only woman who really got me through so much over the years."

"Other think I'm still with Batman fighting crime to have a brand new one he trained come to Gotham." she tells the rest next. "So I'm a teaching to the others who are hunting and getting money on other wanted bounties, and at times I come back here with my husband to aid from the computer, or stop bad guys. And for that Derek Powers...bummer. I hate that man! Still, I wish nothing more than to help you two out." Megan had more thing to explain. "Also from my outfit to be a fighting komodo, it suits me very well. Anyways, I heard you have a new female version of Clayface."

Yeah, yeah, back to business now.

"Ah, his Megan. Glad to finally meet you." Terry said to tell Bruce the rest. "Look, you may be used to dealing with freaks and monsters, but I'm a little new at this."

And seeing the old Gray Ghost costume that was on display...

"Another super hero?" confused Gwen.

"That one's a long story..."

And Bruce added...

"Way before your time." he said. "And for your first villain to stop, her name is Inque. Her real name's unknown. And from her being a test subject type of weapon to be a bad one than Gwen is, she's working for Powers for quite some time."

As Bruce dismisses Terry's confusion and Gwen to know that this villain was like her; and explains that Inque is the result of a mutagenic experiment, and now works as an industrial saboteur-for-hire. Great, for Megan tells the rest on what she get from her own looking up studying.

"I don't know the true name, but I heard about the project that Gwen told you about, Bruce. Here's what I can find from this Inque character. Inque's origins and background remain largely undisclosed, but it is known that she was born into extreme poverty. Her precarious lifestyle eventually instilled in her an obsession with money, which ultimately became her raison d'être. She decided to take the easy way out and turned to the life of crime. Early in her youth, she had a daughter, Deanna Clay. The identity of the father is not known nor are the circumstances of the child's birth. Because she was being chased by the police, Inque was compelled to remand Deanna to the care of unnamed guardians. At some point after that, she allowed herself to become a biogenic mutant, allegedly for a substantial amount of money. The details of the experiment, who conducted it or if creating a shape shifter was the true goal remain undisclosed. From that point on, Inque put her talents up for hire and became a corporate saboteur and assassin for very large fees. Her activities before clashing with Batman or Batwoman are unknown, but by then she had become one of Interpol's most wanted. Even though she never returned to reclaim her daughter, she continually provided her with money, which she transferred to her trust fund on a monthly basis. Picky, picky this one is."

What Megan could get from Inque's background, it does make sense. But Bruce agrees to give Terry a boost, and puts him in the cockpit of a new Batmobile with flying capabilities.

"That's where thinking on your feet comes in." he said.

And a new look and improvement of the Batwing was amazing for Terry/Batman to be piloting it with Gwen/Batwoman as his back up.

"Wow! We are flying!" said Batwoman. "How cool is this?!"

"This is unbearably cool!" Terry/Batman was having some fun flying it for the first time.

Still, they need to get use it for Bruce to tell them so as Megan stays put to watch on the whole thing to see how they do well in battle.

"You scratch it — no allowance." Bruce warns Terry.

As Megan hugs Bruce.

"Still pushy but caring. I love that about you, Bruce. Now, lets see how you two do against the odds in round two."

Out at the Gotham Docks, Pier 18, Inque is at it again. However, before she can do much damage, Batman and Batwoman intervenes.

"Ba-da bang, ba-da boom! Hey, Inque, we're back for round two!" Batwoman said. "What do you think? I came up with it myself."

Inque tries to run but she is caught and confronted. Angered, she attacks and once again proves to be too strong a fighter, both managing to send back Batarangs and pummel Batman or from Batwoman's fire blasts.

"Not quite the fast learner, are you?" she mocks the two fighters.

However, during the fight, Batman learns that Inque is afraid to go near water.

"(Inque isn't touching the waters...?)" Gwen was on to something. "(Have you guys notice?)"

Batwoman sees where Gwen was getting on about for Terry/Batman and her other self can hear Gwen's thoughts.

"Yeah...Looks like we found us her weakness, Batman. Inque doesn't wanna take a dip in the waters."

They know of Inque's weakness.

"You don't like the water, do you?" Batman said back to Inque.

This is still of little use to Batman or Batwoman and she beats them anyway. And since Batwoman added getting sprayed from strong water to avoid it.

"(Terry!)"

"Still breathing, Gwen." Batwoman said to help him out. "Sorry, I wish I had something to avoid getting wet from my powers to not burn out on me."

Terry/Batman was lucky to get out of there with his life from the water saving him.

"I get it, we'll get her..." he said to be feel tired out.

Morning once again comes over Gotham and Miss Winston confers with Powers in his limousine, explaining that Foxteca still was on schedule for the new satellite and that the sabotage inflicted the night before had been minimal. Although he did not show any anger from the news to Winston, he then demanded an explanation from Inque as she arrived for the failure, stating her reason for the failure had better be a good one. She confesses that Foxteca is still meeting its schedule, but claims it's not her fault: A man in a black and red costume has been interfering, and this had been the second time this had happened. Hearing this, Powers, deducing from the description that Batman had been responsible for preventing Foxteca's sabotage, becomes angry and his fake skin starts to flake away. And if Batman's around, so was Gwen as Batwoman. After explaining that he has a condition and requested discretion regarding it when she expressed shock at his flaking, he assigns Inque a new task: kill both Batman, his accomplice, and capture Gwen as Batwoman the latter after learning from her that he had one due to overhearing him on the comm link.

"He has an accomplice." Inque explains. "I heard him speak with someone over a radio."

It was there that Powers wants Bruce dead as well. Of course, he doesn't know that Bruce was aiding the new Batman.

"Then do them both. All but Gwen when you do see her. I'll pay you whatever you want."

And she'll do anything for money.

"No wonder I like working for you."

"Now I suggest you leave." he said to Inque. "It's not healthy to be around me when I'm shedding."

He also offered to pay her whatever amount of money she wanted for the hit, causing Inque to admit she likes working for Powers for this reason before being dismissed by him, citing that being near him while shedding his fake skin is 'unhealthy'. For Megan to over hear this while driving from behind to make her get away, she has the prove that this was all Powers' doing.

"(Well, now I've seen and heard everything...)"

That night, Batman and Batwoman investigate another sabotaged building, but Inque sneaks onto the Batmobile by layering herself on the outer surface.

"Another chaos done by that slime woman, how childish." said Batwoman. "Oh well. Let's look around a bit more, Batman. We're becoming mask detectives and crime fighting heroes both you and I."

While sneaking to the Batmobile, Inque then reports to Derek Powers via comm-link explaining that Batman and Batwoman has arrived, with Derek Powers, who at this point is undergoing treatment for his condition and lost his skin, stating that he'll see her when she's done, and indicates he'll be back to his old self by that time before handing the technicians his cell phone, damaged from the radiation he was emitting.

"The new Batwing's feeling different tonight." Terry/Batman tells Bruce.

"I just had a fixed though." Megan complains. "Whatever."

Another fixing problem to all be a set up.

"Park it and I have a look at it." he said. "Megan, would you care to help me out again?"

The two hold hands to make their way to the Batplane/Batwing.

"If you keeping me company, I don't mind at all."

When Batman and Batwoman return to the Batcave, Bruce realizes that the car is heaver than it should be; Inque emerges and attacks, slamming Batman against the floor and ceiling of the cave.

"(NO!)" Gwen panicked. "(Batwoman, help me save my friend!)"

With Gwen's help as Batwoman to fire a powerful fire blast double hit.

"I'll turn you into Inque-on-a-Barbie!"

Trying to hit her, Gwen makes her other half stop to not hit Terry/Batman.

"(Wait!)"

"Made you stop." Inque traps Batwoman in a bubble to have trouble burning out of it. "Open wide, Batman." She then forces herself down his throat, nearly killing him.

As Megan sets in to electrocute the villain with her bow shot of electrostatic to slow her down.

"Get your body out of his throat...And I don't mean that in a pleasure kind of way." she kept on firing to freeing Gwen/Batwoman first to saving Terry/Batman next. "Trying to kill us off is no way to killing off your enemies, not on my watch."

Getting hit a little to trying to save Batman's life with no luck.

"You think those will slow me down, grandma? I have a hostage and I can fill him up until he pops."

"Well, it was enough to save one to get another to aid me...a Gray Ghost fan."

Huh, from Simon Trent's original super hero character and fro ma TV show from long ago?

"Gray Ghost fan...?" Inque was confused.

However, Bruce attacks her with a fire hose, disguising himself in the Gray Ghost's costume.

"Him." Megan points out.

"I heard your weakness is water."

Well, that stopped her to set Batman free to spit the rest of her leftovers out of him.

"(He's okay!)" Gwen was happy.

"Okay, come on Batman." Batwoman helps him out. "Spit it out. All of it."

And he does, so gross! But still, Inque wasn't done yet.

"When will she die?" questioned Megan.

Inque revives and tries to head upstairs but Bruce blocks her way with an electrified steel door. And for Megan to fire off some more shots with her ESP powers to be under her control over the years of training.

"(Incredible!)"

"Nice, huh?" Megan aid to Gwen/Batwoman. "Years of training like you are with fire, its all worth it to use on something sch as this."

Inque moves to the ceiling and causes the roof to collapse.

"She's not done with us yet!" said Batman.

"Ah, duh! Do you think so?!" Batwoman questions her partner.

Inque also tries to crush her four enemies using Bruce's giant penny. Batman and Megan continue to fight her but is trapped and cannot do her much harm. Only for Batwoman to have a plan from Gwen's wishing thinking.

"(A gun...? Its cool!)" she feels it out to have an idea to tell her inner self. "(Do it, Batwoman!)"

"Right! Heads up, Batman!"

However, before Inque can attack Batman gets hold of Mr. Freeze's gun 'thanks to Gwen/Batwoman's help' and fires it on her.

"No! Not ice!" Inque is frozen and shatters into pieces.

Megan uses her vacuum of freezer bag to trap her enemy inside to not get unfrozen to escape at all.

"Hey, look...A Inque-si-cile."

"Ice, ice, baby." Batwoman made a joke. "Are we good or what?"

Talk about a very close call, that enemy was harder to beat, and sadly unable to save either.

"That's it—You're showing me everything." Terry/Batman said to Bruce.

"(I got to say, that was a close one...)" Gwen was worried t explain to both Bruce and Megan. "(About my split personality of Batwoman, I got a lot to explain about.)" and she does later.

He smiles for he'll give both Terry and Gwen a tour of his things later...once the Batcave is cleaned up first.

Later, Commissioner Barbara Gordon gets a call from Bruce and Megan and she notes that he's got a new Batman and Batwoman. Nice seeing again Commissioner Barbara Gordon, as the original Batgirl.

"Hey, Barbara, long time no talk." Megan said to her old friend.

"Hi, Megan."

She then looks out the window to see the 'get acquainted gift' Batman left her. It's the pieces of Inque bagged in plastic, trapped in the ice.

"Here's a gift from them to you." he said. "I keep it on ice."

Though shattered, Inque's eye moves towards the Batmobile that flies past Barbara's window for her to see the new Batman and Batwoman.

"I hope you didn't mind it gift wrapped, Commissioner! Nice to meet you!" Batwoman waves to Barbara.

And on the new Batwing/Batplane for Batman and Batwoman take off to do another find job and Megan to help them and her husband Bruce out from time to time, so will Barbara to know about their secrets to see them later on. Yeah, she'll be how her father was from back in since she was now in charge of Gotham police. And with Inque stopped to be arrested as a bad test subject with powers, who know what other ones – good or bad will be around next time. For Inque, she's a scary one.


	3. Golem

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 3 – Golem

It's a typical day at Hamilton Hill High School and nerdy Willie Watt feels the effects of biology when he sees Blade Sommer. He tries to talk to her, but Nelson Nash arrives in his car and shoves him away. Gwen sees this to be walking by in shyness for someone to get bullied.

"(Nelson's so mean to this person...Trying to talk to someone he likes for this bully to get in the way is very mean. I feel bad for the person.)"

Willie confronts him but is pushed into Nelson's car.

"Ah, now look what you done!" he stops to see Gwen to be watching while trying to hide. "Ah, is Gwen trying to be a hero or something."

"Gwen?" Willie sees her.

She comes out of hiding a little.

"Nelson, is it?" she tries to be strong. "What you're doing to Willie is very wrong. Go bother someone else and quit harassing Blade."

"Harassing? Me? You saw this nerd making a scratch on my poor car, I'm only teach him a lesson." Nelson moves in closer to Gwen. "If Blade doesn't want to go out with me, maybe you do."

Gwen tries to stay strong to not let her powers take over.

"Sorry, I don't like mean people."

"Leave hr alone, Nelson." Willie tried to hep her out.

"Shut it, nerd." he said back to holding Gwen's hand. "Come on, Gwen, I'm a nice guy once you get to know me..."

Nelson gets angry at the fact that his car was almost scratched and prepares to beat Willie up and makes his moves on Gwen, but is stopped when Terry intervenes. Even when Nelson was moving in closer to Gwen.

"Lay off them, Nash." Terry warns his rival. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Saved for Gwen was very happy to see her friend.

"Terry!"

"You think I'm afraid of you, McGinnis?" Nelson questions his rival.

"I don't know. Are you?"

Nice one! Nelson just glares at Terry to stop.

"He's not worth it." he said to Willie to turn to Gwen next. "You'll get to like me soon enough, Gwen." Nelson then turns to Terry. "But you are, McGinnis. Someday."

Well, luckily for Willie got away with a ripped shirt.

"You okay?" Terry asks.

"Yeah...Fine." he leaves to say his thanks. "Thanks for helping me, Terry. And Gwen, thanks for standing up for me."

Once he leaves, Terry was a bit worried about Gwen was having Nelson move too close to her.

"I hope Willie will be fine."

"He's smart to know what's right and wrong." he tells her. "Are you hurt, Gwen? Stupid Nelson keeps on bothering you. If you don't like him, walk away."

"I do, really." Gwen tells Terry. "You know what I am around others. Even with this bracelet, I still don't want to use my fire powers on him for everyone to know my secrets unless I'm Batwoman...Or the other me. And I hate feeling weak."

Feeling bad, Terry had to try cheering Gwen up somehow for him to place his arms around her waist.

"Don't say that, Gwen, you're strong. I've seen your skill. You can do anything, you can fight back to still be a cute and kind hearted as you already are."

Having a moment, for them to be blushing and turning away.

"Ah...I didn't mean to stare!" Gwen freaks out.

"No, its me. It was nice I was saying to you, I'm already with Dana. Stupid!" so was Terry. "But you know what I meant."

That was something new that no one didn't see coming.

"Well, I'll take your word for it, Terry, thanks. I just need time to think something over to do than use my powers. (And I hope I'll find out how with some help.)"

Willie later visits Willie's father, Frank, a foreman at a construction site, and watches as a worker pilots a giant robot made for heavy lifting, a GoLeM. Frank demands that Willie push Nelson back and 'hit him where it hurts', giving Willie an idea. That night, while Batman tests out his suit's new stealth mode and Gwen's the same with her smoke invisibility at a basketball game, they soon learn that the GoLeM has been stolen.

"Just when the game was getting good." Batman comes back visible again. "Let's go, Batwoman, there's trouble."

Batwoman does the same thing.

"For these types of skills to use from our suits, it makes us look super cool. I love it!" she flies off with Batman. "You kids play well and stay in school."

The GoLeM arrives at the mall just as Blade and Nelson are leaving. As soon as it arrives, Nelson takes off, leaving Blade behind. Nelson tries to escape in his car but the GoLeM grabs it and crushes it. Willie isn't done, however, as he tries to kill Nelson but Batman and Batwoman intervene.

"Look!" Blade points out. "Its Batman!"

"And Batwoman." same with Nelson. "Stop that thing, my car's destroyed!"

From Batman throwing bomb Batarangs at the GoLeM and Batwoman doing the same with her fire-type of Batarangs to melts the parts from it.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bully, but I do think your life's more important that silly old car. Sorry, but its true. While also..." she uses another fire skills to shield Blade and Nelson. "Lucky for me to help you out and almost leaving this pop popular girl behind, so be thankful I love saving others' lives from danger such as a giant robot. Just stay put, would you?"

You said it, Batwoman.

"Leave us alone!" angered Willie.

Angered at the intervention, Willie has the GoLeM attack Batman and Batwoman instead, only to be tricked into having it strike power cables that cause the circuitry to overload.

"Shocking defeat, wasn't it?" said Batwoman to make a joke.

"I thinks its shut down for good." Batman tells his partner. "That is, if we find the person who was controlling and who stole it to be somewhere."

The overload also feeds back into Willie through the headband remote control. Willie manages to escape, and is surprised to see energy still flowing through his body. Following the incident, Blade shows her displeasure towards Nelson for leaving her behind.

"My hero."

Back at the Batcave, Megan studies from the head band and GoLeM project that happened.

"I got something big." she said to have one other thing to say. "Gwen, hey. I hope you don't mind me checking on you while you're training your fire powers once a day."

She hears her friend from the radio to allow it.

"Its fine, Megan, its like your my private doctor."

"Good to know, I like getting commented." Megan smiles on the screen.

"Megan, what can you tell us about the GoLeM machine?" ask Bruce.

Lots of it for Terry, Gwen, and Bruce to hear every detail for Megan to give them to still use her hacking skills to get lots of information. Also cool how she'll help out Gwen sometimes to being her personal doctor too. Anyways, the details please...

"Oh, right. I found something about it. The G.L.M., Galvanic Lifter Machine, aka GoLeM, was a construction robot. GoLeM was remotely controlled by halo-like headband. It was made by Frank Watt who does construction work around the Gotham City with those things, your mind and movement has the Golem do what you're doing when wearing the head band connected to your brain. Also, if damage could hurt you a lot or cause a problem from your brain if you're not careful."

Makes sense there to have Terry and Gwen wonder about the head band part...

"And the whereabouts of the headband?" Terry asked. "Did the police find it?"

"No such luck." Bruce answers.

For Megan to play the cameras on what the GoLeM did the other night to destroy Nelson's car.

"From the looks of it, it tried to go after Nelson and then having the car crushed up."

"He sounds like a real show off." Megan said. "But yeah, someone hated this dude.

Terry tells the others besides Gwen already knowing on Nelson Nash.

"Nelson Nash, he goes to our high school both Gwen and me."

"Terry, do you know anyone who has a grudge against him?" Bruce asks him.

"The line starts with me and goes around the block...twice."

True, for him to have a lot of enemies.

"Besides you, Terry, others hate him for girls won't go out with this guy." said Gwen to stay away from Nelson's attitude. "And not my type thank you."

Morning comes and Willie heads off to school. To spite Nelson, Blade asks Willie out to the dance. Furious, Nelson menaces Willie, but Willie senses that he still has a connection with the GoLeM and feels fine.

"When I get my hands on the jerk who stole that GoLeM, I'm going to make him sorry he was ever born." said Frank.

So much for being the father of the year.

"Maybe he already is." Willie said bitterly.

"What was that?"

Willie leaves the room.

"Nothing." he said back.

From the school, Blade goes with Willie to the dance to get back at Nelson who likes her and now he's mad and a lot more to not have Gwen notice him either...That's unfair! For Blade to play with people's love emotions like it was nothing, its wrong! For Willie to feel scared to have control of the GoLeM now without the head band for Terry to see that something's wrong for Gwen to sense out a type of electrical sparks of a type of fire to pick it up from Willie himself.

"Ah, Willie?" she was confused. "Was that you sparking?"

"Oh, pardon me Gwen."

Once he leaves, she had to tell Terry something.

"Ah...Terry...Something's up with Willie, but I don't know what it is just yet. (Does he has something to do with the GoLeM since his father has it?)"

Later, Willie heads into Jokerz Territory to test out his new way of communicating with the GoLeM. He chases the gang off and expresses how things are looking up. That's not good...The night of the dance comes for Dana and Terry to have fun together.

"Its nice for Mr. Wayne to give you the time off, Terry. And having Gwen along will find her the right guy." Dana said. "Otherwise, I've gone alone."

"By yourself?" Terry questions his girlfriend. "That would be sad." he turns to Gwen next. "Just stay with us, Gwen, we're going to have tons of fun."

She dresses nice to have a good time.

"Ah, yeah...Sure." she was feeling shy. "As long as I'm with my friends."

Dana would do anything to help out others like Gwen to be a good person.

"I'm glad I'm your friend, Gwen."

And with Willie goes with Blade. Blade, however, regrets her ploy as she is immediately ridiculed by her peers. With Nelson arrives to see if he could dance with Gwen.

"Alone tonight, Gwen? How about we dance..." he sweet talks with her.

Gwen makes the right call to stay with Terry and Dana.

"No thank you, Nelson. You're not my type and you hurt others. I rather go on a date with my friends than with a man who doesn't have feelings. (Stay cool, Gwen, you can do this.)"

She walks off to hang out with Terry and Dana to be proud of her for standing up against Nelson.

"Way a go, Gwen, you were great!"

"Not bad. Maybe there's some cuteness in you to act so strong...!" Terry stops to say something else differently. "For other girls to be jealous when you get someone who's a cuter guy than Nelson is!"

Well, Terry was being nice to have mix feelings for Gwen.

"Ah, thanks Terry..." she said. "(It did feel wonderful. I guess I have to keep on trying to ignore some people and fight back somehow. I'm glad I can hold back my fire powers with Uncle Bruce, Terry, and Megan's help.)"

So much for him trying to make his moves on Gwen again. Soon Nelson comes to Blade's rescue and pleads for another chance. Hesitant to hurt Willie's feelings, Blade refuses, but Nelson decides he'll take care of him. He takes Willie to the docks and insists that Willie step aside and shoves him into the ocean when he refuses.

"If anyone's going to make a move on Blade, Gwen, or even my Dana and not McGinnis's, its going to be me."

Nelson and his friends have a laugh but are unaware that the GoLeM is coming. Now Willie has not only lost it, but he's a full monster compare to the GoLeM itself. Well, looks like Nelson's real crush is Dana Tan, who knew.

"I won't be ignored, Blade..." he said in a wicked way.

A slow dance starts and Nelson has Blade again. Willie arrives; soaking wet and people start laughing at him. Gwen sees the horror to try helping out Willie.

"Oh, no..." she runs up to him to check on Willie's conditions. "Willie, did Nelson hurt you again? Are you feeling well?" Gwen couldn't touch Willie too much from the water. "Could someone hand him a towel?"

Dana also decides to take pity on him and offers to take him home.

"Come on, Willie." she helps out Gwen. "Gwen, Terry, and I will take you home."

"No." he said. "I don't need your help, I don't need anyone's help at all." Willie refuses, saying that he needs no one's help, and summons the GoLeM.

Now Gwen knows what was wrong with Willie and who stolen the GoLeM.

"Its you with the GoLeM!" she takes Dana to safety to hide somewhere else next. "Dana! Take cover! Terry is doing the same, we'll be fine! (Please help me out, I want Nelson to learn something, but not to get killed.)"

Bruce tells Terry to hide for him to go as Batman, he does the same with Gwen.

"Gwen, the GoLeM's here, both you and Terry get ready."

"Yes, Uncle Bruce." Gwen then transforms. "Burning Passion! Batwoman!" she was now the crime fighting heroine. "Party! Well, well, what do we have a here? A real party crashing who doesn't know how to play nice. Again, I blame both the bully and the queen bee. Hurting people's feelings can be a sad thing." she saves Blade from Nelson pushing her aside. "Stay close to me, lady, if you wish to live and learn a lesson."

The GoLeM attacks and forces everyone to jump into the water. Nelson is nearly killed but Batman arrives and saves him.

"Thanks again."

"Don't mention it." Batman drops Nelson to safety in the waters to then joining with Batwoman. "Is Blade okay?"

"Scared, but she'll be fine. Now, let's have a real dance with the giant robot!" she said. "Let's tango!"

Fortunately, before the GoLeM can kill Batman for Batwoman's grappling fire tries slowing them machine down, only for Frank to arrive and implores Willie to stop.

"Willie!" he shows himself. "So, it was you. Stop doing this, right now."

However, Willie, still bitter toward his father for his harsh treatment of him, orders the GoLeM to attack Frank.

"But you told me to fight back and I am." said Willie. "Who's the tough guy now to fight back, huh?"

This is not happening for a father to be killed from his only son.

"(Willie, don't do this!)" Gwen pleaded to make Willie stop.

Batwoman agrees with her other self is saying.

"A son turning against a busy tough father? Now just plain crazy!"

Once again, Batman and Batwoman intervenes and manage to blind the GoLeM.

"How are you doing this?" Batman wanted to know.

"Something from the malfunction from the headband shock, zap, and boom into that nerd's brain cells that Megan told us about. Nasty side affects." Batwoman remembers hearing. "This might be bad for someone at this young age."

Willie keeps on attacking at the two heroes.

"A pretty good accident for me, wouldn't you say? I love it!"

Trying to get them for Batman and Batwoman flew away from the heavy hits.

"(But he's your father, Willie!)" said Gwen. "(You can't do that to someone!)"

"Oh, yes I can." he keeps on attacking.

Batman use some bottle of acid to mess with the computer screen from the GoLeM to hurt with Willie's eyes too. For Gwen to see the weakness.

"Seems like hitting the robot will also hit the nerd." said Batwoman. "Batman, I think you just found out the weakness."

"(Then its our only chance we have.)" and Gwen.

However, Frank is put into a bad position as he cannot swim and is dangling over the ocean.

"Jump!"

"But I can't swim!" said Frank.

Now Batman has to save the man.

"Perfect..." said the Dark Knight.

Willie grows angrier than ever and attacks again. Batman manages to save Frank and then goes to a rocket ride in the carnival. Using two grapples and Batwoman sets off some fire bombs to set the robot flying, they both manage to reel the GoLeM into the ride and destroys it.

"Fast, people! Faster!" said Batwoman. "Wee!"

As it collapses, Willie cries out, having now lost what power he had.

"Noo!" he runs over to GoLeM. "Come back...Come back..."

So much for helping out Willie for Gwen really wanted to only to see a bad person underneath it all.

"(Sorry, Willie, I could've helped you.)"

Frank goes to have a talk to his son before he gets send to jail.

"Go to him, you might be seeing him for a long time afterwards." Batman tells him.

And so he does to miss some, blames himself, to also be proud on what Frank kind of did on his own to fight back. Again, some father he turned out to be.

"Sure caused a lot of trouble. Guess that means he's not a wuss anymore."

"Good ahead and tell yourself that, mister, but you won't learn anything after today." said Batwoman to take off with Batman. "Let' get going, Batman. We did try, but it all went down the toilet somehow."

Willie is sentenced to three years in juvenile hall where he is still bullied. However, he shows that he still has his powers, causing a television to explode without even touching it. He then gets up and walks away. The other kids are afraid of him now as they step back in fear, and Willie creepily smiles. And this is what happens when you mess with someone who tries to fight back, it turns them into a monster.


	4. Meltdown

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 4 - Meltdown

Out at the Gotham Docks, Batman and Batwoman each tests the water and discovers that it's ripe with radiation.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, here's a scoop, don't throw away something to cause a plague in the future." Batwoman said. "I bet our ugly friend Derek's at it again."

"(You really think so?)" Gwen asked.

"Honey, we couldn't be right about anything so far."

Batman double checks again.

"Its enough to take out everyone or anything swimming in it." he said.

Even Bruce was getting tons of readings from it when Batman and Batwoman touch the waters with their computer like suits to touch and scan things.

"This must be the place before setting off to the ocean next." Bruce tells them.

The reason soon arrives and a bunch of men in lead suits arrive to unload canisters of radioactive waste into a barge. Batman and Batwoman take out their stealth mode and starts attacking the crew.

"Trying to kill the world, aren't you boys?" Batwoman fights well to keep her feet and hands of the fire to staying there. "That won't do at all. I guess my partner and I need to teach you some R.E.S.P.E.C.T. In the face!"

Being able to move virtually undetected, they easily defeat the crew and stops the evidence from being removed. Batman then goes after the group's leader, and using the man's cell phone, he discovers Derek Powers' involvement.

"Lookie here, I guess you were right, Batwoman, it is Powers." said Batman.

With Batman grabbing the men to be stuck in a net, this was new surprise for someone like Powers to hire those goons.

"(I guess it was Derek Powers at it again.)"

Derek, at this time, is trying to buy out a company and using the underhanded tactic of using a late hour negotiation.

"Hello?" he answers.

"Hi, Powers, long time no talk." said Batwoman.

Powers was shock to hear his enemies on the phone.

"Amazing the numbers people put on their speed dial. Just wanted you to know tonight's boat ride has been cancelled though your goons are still going up the river." and Batman. "Wish you could join them." he then hangs up.

Unfortunately for him, when he hears from Batwoman and Batman informing him that his men are going to be caught by the coast guard, much to his anger, his skin starts to crack and he has to give up the negotiation for the time being. Ha! Back in his laboratory, Powers complains about the fact that the skin hardly lasts any more but there is nothing his doctors can do. However, a new doctor, Dr. Stephanie Lake, approaches Powers and tells him that she can clone him a new body and transfer his mind into it. This body would be healthy, since she would screen out the mutation. Powers is intrigued, but Dr. Lake says that she wants to test the procedure on someone else: Mr. Freeze's disembodied but immortal head which has been kept in a Wayne-Powers vault for nearly fifty years. He's still alive?! So he is, since he escape the blast from the head to get away but not the robotic body from the event he tried freezing up Gotham once, remember?

"Take a good look, Doctor. I've been like this for nearly fifty years, and I haven't aged one day. I have become what many men have dreamed of: an immortal. And yet, there hasn't been a day, an hour, a minute, I haven't thought about death. It obsesses me. Even now."

And so for Powers and Stephanie to get the job done, it begins...

"Remember, there may be some momentary discomfort." she warns Mr. Freeze.

The procedure is performed and Victor Fries soon finds himself in a new, healthy body—one that, miraculously, is able to feel heat and cold like a normal person. Megan brings up the bad news to call Bruce about it.

"Yo, Bruce, I got something big."

"Big?" Bruce was lost. "About us getting together again soon?"

"Besides that, yes..." she said aside. "I'm talking about this news, our old enemy Mr. Freeze's is still alive after fifty years later. Look!"

Once Megan hacks through Bruce's Batman-Computer to send him an article paper of Mr. Freeze having a new body from Derek Powers' help, this was big.

"Freeze's back?"

And yet, he's not doing anything wrong that Megan thought he would do, but isn't doing it. Hmm...Things seem okay, but Bruce is suspicious of both Fries and Powers and tells Terry and Gwen to tail Fries.

"A man who was almost killed from the cold saved him, destroyed his original body, and is alive today to look young..." Gwen reads about it. "Uncle Bruce, is there a reason why you're telling us about Mr. Freeze?"

"Its a hunch for Megan and I to be a bit worried about his actions today than from his past." he said. "Megan will help you two out later, for now try watching this man."

From fire from Gwen to see someone else who's different who use to use ice powers.

"He looks sad than a bad man though." Gwen place her hand out to Ace. "Hard to tell form the good or the bad today, huh Ace?"

For Ace doesn't like some people to getting use to Terry a little, he sniffs Gwen's hand to kissing it to letting her pat him on the head. She loves animals to really like her a lot.

"Amazing."

"What is, Uncle Bruce?" Gwen asks Bruce.

"Ace doesn't like people, but he seems like you a lot, Gwen, since you came to live with me." he said.

That Ace has for a beautiful Great Dane type of dog.

"Lucky you." Terry said to getting back to the subject. "So...Why do you want us to tail this guy?"

And Bruce's answer was this...

"Because I don't trust him."

Ace lets Gwen hug him to become good friend a lot more from this day forward.

"Sorry, Ace, we got to go." she understands what Ace was saying to her. "Terry's got my back. Try to be a nit nicer around him at least a little." Gwen gets a little bark back. "He's a good friend of mine like you are, trust me." and then Ace gets a growls of a small maybe. "Good, please think about it. Good back with Uncle Bruce now."

Terry was amazed on what Gwen can do.

"How do you do that?" he really wants to know. "How are you able to understand animals?"

"I don't know...I guess I have a talent over the years for animals to really like me."

For Gwen to be shy went answering for Terry to be blushing.

"You're kind of cute when you're smiling..."

"Thanks, Terry, you're sweet." she said back.

For Gwen's other fire appearance show to learn about the strange thing of Mr. Freeze to be different than those two are.

"(A man to get cured fifty years later I see, sounds odd if you ask me, Gweny. But you heard your uncle, let's crack down some dirty.)"

As Gwen and Terry do as they're told to do, but sees that Fries is a decent enough man and is unneeded until a sniper tries to kill him. Batman stops the attack and Batwoman shields the two with her fire powers, but the sniper cries that 'the monster's gotta die'.

"You two, stay down!" said the Dark Knight.

They stop the sniper from asking anymore lives, or tries to.

"Guns and madman people just don't mix." Batwoman melts the gun. "You should've known by now."

"No! No!" he cries out. "That monster...the monster must die...!"

Mr. Freeze was lost to ask the man some more questions.

"What did I do?"

Mr. Freeze had previously killed this sniper's family and he now seeks revenge.

"Because of it, my entire family's gone...All gone!" he was sad.

This catches Gwen's attention when hearing that word.

"(Family...)" she was thinking about her Mom and Dad 'being Dick Grayson'.

Fries decides that he's done enough damage to the sniper's life, and sets him free, vowing to make amends.

"I swear, from this forward...I will change everything. I make up from my terrible mistakes to help on others who've lost it all. I will not see that again." he said. "Like that man, he doesn't deserve punishment, but a new beginning to change it all."

Later, Fries announces that he's starting an organization so that he can help the people he once hurt. He promises to fund this with his legitimate holdings, which now comes to significant sum in this time. Watching this, Bruce cynically comments that this is blood money. Terry, on the other hand, agrees with his mother's sentiment that Fries is trying to change.

"Is he really going to change it all?" Gwen asked.

"More like blood money..."

I don't think Bruce agrees with all of this.

"But, Uncle Bruce, what if Mr. Freeze has changed?" she asks her step-uncle. "If that's the case, then he might not be the old enemy you and Megan once knew."

"She's right, Bruce." said Terry. "I mean come on, can't you cut him a little slack? Like my mom said, he's just a guy trying to put his house in order."

A good advice from your mother, Terry, but that's sort of not the point.

"It's a cold draft that blows through that house."

And for Bruce has an odd feeling about this mess involving Powers to do something with Mr. Freeze soon enough, for Inner Gwen 'the Batwoman personality that I'm calling her to look like Gwen's appearance of fire' to say this.

"(Oh! Burn!)" she said. "Sorry, too soon?"

After the announcement, Fries starts to notice that he's feeling hot. He leaves the studio and feels even more uncomfortable from the heat. However, it soon starts snowing, and he immediately feels better, proving that he's starting to revert to his previous condition. Fries returns to Dr. Lake and she informs Powers of the incident. She guesses that there is a mnemonic agent within his DNA that caused him to revert. Powers wishes to biopsy Fries' organs, and without warning, Dr. Lake seals Victor inside a cell and turns up the heat to try to knock him out, but he escapes the cell, now convinced that Dr. Lake and Powers have betrayed and tried to murder him. He escapes the facility, hell bent on revenge once more. Megan arrives too late to stop Mr. Freeze to make a run for it on foot to feel better in the cold whether.

"(Great, just what we need right now!)" she contacts Bruce. "Yo, Bruce, we got trouble. He escaped.)"

When both Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman learn about his escape, Bruce tells the two to keep an eye on Wayne-Powers because he believes that Mr. Freeze will be back.

"(I don't see him anywhere, have you?)" Gwen asks.

For her as Gwen herself or Batwoman can't touch the ice or some waters to hurt her from having fire power to also be dressing a bit more for a fire proof snow suit.

"If by see Mr. Freeze walking in his boxer to be cold and alive, then no...I haven't." she said. "Besides ice and waters don't mix with me so well, remember? What about you, Terry."

"Just leftover melted ice. And yes, I know you are part of Gwen to both be affected by those two elements." he was already aware. "And Bruce, just because he ran off doesn't mean he'll come back."

Well, Bruce didn't think so for Megan to try to track Mr. Freeze someone to go into her car to getting to where he was at right now.

"He'll be back. Count on it." he tells them. "He lives for revenge. And Gwen, try to be careful with ice, it could kill you."

Gwen hears her uncle for her other half already knows.

"She's already aware of it, step-uncle, thank you."

"(Please be nice.)" said Gwen.

"Not the Victor Fries I met." Batman said.

Almost to be the new Mr. Freeze, but isn't you mean.

"No. What you two met was a ghost." Bruce added in.

Terry, after having met Fries in the park, is skeptical at first, but Bruce does not yield, claiming that Freeze lives for revenge, even against those who have never done him harm. Even Gwen believes in him.

"Go ahead, Gweny, say it."

Inner Gwen allows it.

"(Listen, Bruce. Terry. I get it. And I know who's to blame for hurting Mr. Freeze to lost his humanity to turn against others to have him killed, Derek Powers himself. He's like me, but more...sensitive to take things so much to hurt others without even thinking about it first. If we can talk I over and stop Derek on whatever it is he has on the poor man, maybe we can still save him somehow but better.)" said Gwen.

I guess she makes a good point for Batwoman to agree with her other real self. With Bruce's prediction proves to be true, and the building is soon covered in ice. Freeze arrives in a suit more powerful than any he had built before, with improved protection against bullets and freeze guns built into the gauntlets. Freeze corners Powers and Dr. Lake, and freezes them both in icy coffins, then goes out and fights off some guards, making his way towards the main power generators. Trapping Powers, and killing Stephanie in seconds.

"We were only trying to help you!" she begs for her life.

After she tried to kill him, he gets back at her next, for good.

"Remember, there might be some momentary discomfort." he freezes and kills Dr. Lake.

And she's dead. Now Mr. Freeze was another a new lean, mean, ice killing humanoid machine. Unknown to him, back in the hallway, Powers unleashes the full heat of his body's radioactivity, shedding both his icy prison and his artificial skin. In the generator's control room, Freeze sets the systems on overload. For Batwoman and Batman appear, pleading with Freeze to stop, as he will only cause more suffering.

"Freeze, Mr. Freeze!" Batwoman said to set off fire as a warning. "See what I did there? I made a joke from the person's name. Cool, huh? Ah, there's another one. Anyways, don't do this!"

"Its too late to stop me now, Batman and friend."

Well, that wasn't Batman's partners name.

"Its Batwoman!"

"(Forget it, I think Mr. Freeze's mind is more frozen than his heart for killing so many lives.)" said Gwen.

"Listen to us, Freeze. This isn't like you." Batman talks to the sad man. "All the pain, suffering, and you wanted to change everything. Don't do this."

Freeze refuses, saying that he plans to end his own life by going up with the building—no matter how many others are killed in the explosion.

"Its too late. I want this." he said. "Once the entire place goes, then I go..."

Batman tries to stop him, but Freeze attacks and encases him in ice.

"Stop it!" Batwoman fights with her gear to have the fire go from her hands and feet to be fast and quick against ice powers. "If I move fast, my fire can melt your ice in seconds with no affect on me!"

Only for Mr. Freeze's suit to be twice as strong to be unable to melt off and pushes her aside.

"I'm sorry." Mr. Freeze puts Batwoman on ice to really hurt her in pain.

For Batman was stuck to watch the horror to be happening and making Bruce upset from watching the whole thing.

"Gwen!"

Even Terry/Batman was seeing his friend dying to be more than mad, I mean rally angry to care a lot more about Gwen than a friend.

"Stop! You're killing her!" said the Dark Knight.

"Not as much as this pain is killing me..."

Soon, Mr. Freeze stops attacking Gwen to be get attack from behind from someone else.

"As it is mine for hurting my weapon and me!" Then Powers appears in his full radioactive glory, and bombards Freeze with radiation, hot enough to be felt through the suit. "And behold, I shall be a blight upon the land, and everything I touch shall wither and die!"

Bruce couldn't tell who it was for Batwoman was out to go out cold due to the cold ice to be hurting her.

"Sorry, kid, you're on your own..." she was out for Gwen to come back this time.

Because Powers does not have his artificial skin, neither Gwen or Terry/Batman doesn't recognize him. With Megan coming in to help out Gwen to unfreeze her with some hot water to feel a bit better to try helping her out.

"Megan?" Bruce sees his wife from his computer. "How is she?"

Breathing a bit hard to do what she can for Gwen.

"A bit tired, but I think her inner self just saved her life to pass out." she gets Gwen some fire to touch on her skin to not hurt her at all "I got this one." Megan then uses a gun to help out the new Batman. "Okay, you're up, kid. Stop them. I got you covered."

"(Gwen, please hand in there.) Thanks, Megan!" Batman frees himself from his icy prison and attacks Powers, who now identifies himself as 'Blight'. "Its bad enough to stop Freeze, but killing him? Now that's low."

"Batman." Powers sees Megan helping out Gwen. "I take it that you two have more friend than it already is worth for you both? How touching..."

"And who are you, Sunshine?" Batman asks the villain.

So Powers coms up with a name to tell Batman about it for Gwen to wake up and listens in.

"Blight will do."

"Blight...?" she heard it.

Leaving Gwen to try to get up for Megan to help her out.

"Hey, not yet. You're not Batwoman right now, remember?" Megan tells Gwen in time. "Go out there, and people will know who you are from the fire powers."

"But Terry needs me. (What am I going to do without my fire to stop this mess from two villains?"

As the two fight, Bruce warns Terry that the Batsuit won't be able to protect him indefinitely from such high levels of radiation.

"Terry, there's something hot in that room!" Bruce tells Terry.

"No kidding!" he said while fighting Blight. "This guy, he's like a walking meltdown!"

That's the thing, don't get caught in Blight's radiation!

"Keep your distance. The suit will give you some protection, but it's not designed for such high levels of radiation."

From Megan trying to use her taser to shock Blight to stopping him and aid Batman.

"Don't panic, people!" she fires to have no affect to removing the wires in time from almost getting killed. "Okay...start panicking."

Not good for Batman to get hit a lot from Blight's attacks.

"You only got a tan that time, Batman. Here comes the real burn."

As the fight continues, Blight manages to get Batman down and is about to kill him when Mr. Freeze intervenes and hits Blight with a supercharged freeze gun blast, sending him rocketing out of the building and into a nearby frozen pond.

"Batman, the system!" Gwen tells Batman. "Turn it off. (Hurry...!)" she then walks over to Mr. Freeze to be fine touching his suit. "Hang on, I got you."

"Batwoman?" Megan plays along to hide Gwen's identity.

"Its fine. See? Not cold or in pain thanks to you, Megan."

Mr. Freeze knows of Megan to change a lot and Gwen to be kind hearted like Nora was.

"Megan...my, have you changed so much. And you, Batwoman, to remind me of my once beloved wife...I'm sorry." he said.

Again, its not his fault.

"Good to see you again too." Mean said. "(I guess some elements of ice and water does hurt Gwen at some point and some that don't.)" she also says this. "My other Batman who's my husband says hi by the way."

Batman manages to stop the system overload, but the room starts to collapse from the weight of all the ice generated.

"He did it..." Gwen sees some ice part falling down on them. "Batman! The ice are coming down hard really fast!"

Freeze has been horribly wounded by Blight's radiation burns, but tells Batman to stay back.

"Go, Batwoman, you take Megan and get out of here with Batman, the new one."

For the two girls to move away in time to watch Mr. Freeze die like this, for real this time.

"He's right." Megan sees it. "We have to get out of here."

"Not without him!" Batman wanted to help Mr. Freeze out. "You've got to get out of here, Freeze! The whole place is gonna go!"

"Believe me, you're the only one who cares. Megan, take care of your husband to once be the original Batman, and Batwoman...I'm glad you'll live after what have done to you." he said to fall on his knees. "Forgive me." Batman wants to save him, but Freeze blocks his way with a wall of ice, forcing him to exit the complex before it explodes, taking Freeze with it.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Gwen was upset to see Mr. Freeze die.

Batman carries Gwen out of the building.

"Hold on!"

They all made it out for Megan's special new jet back pack does the trick to get out of there for all three of them but Mr. Freeze.

"No..." Megan was sad. "Bruce, he didn't make it. I don't think he's coming back anymore. (He saved us, to prove that he has changed so so much.)"

Gwen cheers Megan up after she tells Bruce the bad news of their old enemy was no more this time.

"Its hard, Megan, we all tried. Thanks for the saved as he did the same thing." she said. "I knew Derek's to blame for this mess, whatever he is now, he must be stopped and his new test subject he's using against us, Blight." Gwen felt weak for Terry/Batman to catch her from falling down.

"Gwen." he catches her to then hugs Gwen in his arms to be worried about her. "Oh, Gwen! I thought you were a goner...!"

"Terry?" surprising Gwen to like the feeling to be warm again to hugging Terry back. "I'm sorry to have you worried. But I fine. I mean, we're both fine."

Her Inner Gwen appears to have her powers of fire working well.

"(A nice, to ice ending to be a sad one really. Blight will be stopped after doing this to Freeze, he will be missed. And Gweny, good call putting yourself on the line to aid the man, not bad.)"

"It was nothing..." she was blushing. "I just rather be warm."

Powers' doctors retrieve him from the pond where he landed. To his annoyance, they also brought him some blankets in case he was cold.

"You are idiots." he said. "Oh, well...Gwen's alive to save her from that madman. That's all that matters. I will get her back real soon."

Later, Terry and Gwen mourn the apparent death of Freeze and decides that Bruce 'and maybe Megan' was right about Freeze being evil.

"Farewell, Mr. Freeze." she said to then going over to Bruce and hugs her husband.

"Its hard to say if he survived." said Terry. "A good man doesn't deserve a death like this one."

"It could've been worse." Bruce added. "He couldn't killed thousands. And yes, Gwen, there could've been some good in him too. Some of it."

I guess she was right to make her point across to still have a chance if there was a way to save Mr. Freeze somehow.

"Yeah, and getting a painful lesson from right and wrong." she said. To have her fire powers feeling well to using some to putting the bracelet back on after. "And for that...it goes to show who can change when they want to and not to be use to hurt someone's feelings; and for stopping Derek will be our next goal and having others with power like mine to be saved and some who are bad to bring to justice instead."

A good call there, Gwen for her inner agrees. However, Bruce admits that Terry was also right about Fries being a good man.

"Maybe so, Gwen. And Bruce, I guess you were right about Freeze all along." Terry said.

Maybe they both were in between either one for Bruce to admit it.

"We both were."

"And that's all that matters the most." said Megan. "A chilling end for the past to melt away from this time line in the future. (Ashes to ashes, and snow to snow I say.)"

For the four to walk out of the area to leave, it was hard to tell for Terry to be really worried about losing Gwen Grayson almost but didn't, it looks like he was really falling her a lot more than Dana Tan, you know? Just saying...I think Megan was catching on before Bruce could. Also...let us have a moment of silence to remember the late villain to be a sad one of Victor Fries/Mr. Freeze to be missed in this Batman universe. R.I.P. In the end, he wasn't as cold as ice, but a light of snow who wanted to be free from everything if he was. Sad, huh? Yeah... :(


	5. Heroes

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 5 – Heroes

Another crime-ridden night has befallen Gotham. A group of thieves wearing rocket packs have stolen an extremely valuable computer chip and are confronted by Batman and Batwoman.

"Not this time, guys." Batman catches one of them.

As Batwoman makes some fire to slow them down to appear from the front.

"Hi, boys. Didn't your Mommy and Daddy every tell you men never to steal something without paying up front first? Otherwise, you're all committing a big crime."

Batman manages to stop one of the thieves but is downed by another. Batwoman tries to use her wings of fire to stop the rest to be too fast to catch up either one of them. As Batwoman saves Batman to recover, a woman seemingly made of blue mist, wisps by and flies up to one of the thieves. For Gwen to feel something out from her being different like she was.

"(Another person with powers to use them for good?)" she questions herself. "(Terry, look. There are others like me. I'm not alone.)"

She then coats him in a layer of ice causing him to fall. Next, a large creature made of partially molten lava grabs up a large block of cement and knocks two of the thieves from the sky. They are then saved and captured by an extremely flat and stretchable man.

"Wait, there are two more." said Batwoman. "Hey, Gweny, I guess its three more people just like you, but different."

She was right for they just helped out the two crime fighters just now.

"(Its more than that, they're almost like super heroes with powers to have for a long time.)"

For Gwen wanting to know more for her Inner Self had an odd feeling, for Terry/Batman asks this next question.

"Who are those guys?" he asked.

Later, a newscast introduces the trio as Magma, Freon, and the 2-D Man. They were once scientists, Dr. Mike Morgan, Mary Michaels, and Stewart Lowe respectively, but were bombarded with radiation during a particle fusion experiment.

"We warn viewers that the tape we're about to show might be too intense for children."

Like Matt 'Terry's little brother' or his friend didn't care to keep on watching.

"Turn it up!" Matt's friend said.

As a result, they transformed into super powered beings and became government-sponsored heroes calling themselves 'The Terrific Trio'.

"This is amazing!" Gwen sounded happy. "Uncle Bruce. Terry. Do you guys know what this means? There are others with powers to be have and to live to use them for good. I thought I was the only one, but I'm not. And the best part is this, they weren't Derek Powers' slaves or weapons to be made at all."

"We're happy if you are, Gwen." Terry said. "And with them around, it'll give us enough time to do my homework."

Terry wonders if he'll have more time for homework in the future, but Bruce is skeptical.

"We'll see...Gwen, I wouldn't give your hopes about them so soon."

Yet another crime-ridden night befalls Gotham and this time, the police and Megan with her bounty hunter team have to deal with a hostage situation involving a city councilman's wife and young daughter. The kidnappers refuse to negotiate and plan to take destructive measures unless their demands are met. Fortunately, the Trio appears and deals with the problem, they stop them all in seconds.

"What's the matter, boys? Cold feet?" she said when freezing their feet on the ground.

As the cops arrived inside to help out from hearing the little girl's screaming, to then seeing that the problem has been taken care of.

"FREEZE!"

Too late, police men for Freon tells them so.

"Been there, done that..."

But the little girl screams at the sight of Magma and continues to fear him even after he personally rescued her. Magma is deeply hurt and smashes a police car in anger.

"Hey! That's police property!" said the cop.

"You tell him!" the other one said.

For Megan to see that part, she sees from the three heroes aren't so heroic at times from one leader with magma powers to be a little bit more than what he appears to be.

"Barbara, this could be a big issue if Batman or Batwoman can't handle this mess." she tells the commissioner. "Should I alert Bruce about this?"

She didn't mind at all.

"Do what you must."

Back in the Trio Tower, Magma complains about being a freak and being unable to even hold his fiancée, Freon, in his arms. A friend of theirs, Howard Hodges, arrives and assures them that they'll be helped in time. However, when he leaves he meets up with General Norman, who openly despises the Trio and expresses concern about their behavior. Including the powers of fire made from Batwoman.

"That's not the only issue we have." General Norman shows Howard a video of Batwoman's powers. "She's some crime fighter with some type of skills, keep her eyes on this one. And just in case if any does go wrong...you know what will happen to those three, right?"

"I know." he said. "As for Batwoman, she's with Batman. She's not hurting anyone. Just her loud mouth and strange ego."

At a mall, Terry and his brother Matt spot a variety of Terrific Trio merchandise. A store employee comments that it's good to have some wholesome heroes the kids can look up to. Matt, being a Batman fan, disagrees.

"Aw, those guys are twips. Batman rips!" he said.

With a small smile, Terry decides to treat him to ice cream for Gwen to meet up with her friend to try going out a little to use a bus.

"Terry?"

"Hi, Gwen, I see you're getting out a lot more." he plays along. "That's good to know."

"Sometimes I have to run a few errands for Uncle Bruce, but I don't mind. I stick to it and seeing you makes me feel better." Gwen then sees Matt. "And who might you be, good sir?"

He already likes Gwen from the way she smiles and looks cute.

"You work with Mr. Wayne like my brother? That's awesome." said Matt. "Hey, Terry, is she your girlfriend? I like her."

Terry makes a mess on his face from the ice cream after what Matt just said.

"Girlfriend?!"

"Oh!" this makes Gwen feel really shy. "No, no! We're just friends! What gave you that idea?!"

Matt just laughs to tease his brother to make friends with Gwen.

"I'm Terry's cool little brother, Matt. Its nice to meet you." he said to Gwen. "Come hang out with me sometimes."

"Ah, okay, Matt. I'm Gwen Grayson." she smiles. "You have a good brother, Terry.

This does make Terry blush a lot.

"Thanks, he can be a handful sometimes with a big heart."

"And a small brain." Matt laughs.

"Shut up."

This makes Gwen laugh for Matt to like her already to think she's Terry's real girlfriend to get the wrong idea. Or was he...? The general's concerns are later explained as Dr. Hodges looks over a DNA scan and sees that it's unstable. However from one touch of Gwen/Batwoman's strain of hair can cure them a little, to save the three, Howard needed her blood. What the...? Though Dr. Hodges doesn't want anyone to see the scans just yet, General Norman is informed and when the scans are checked again, Magma steals the cube containing the information after hearing about what it can do and with Batwoman's help. Both her and Batman notice the disturbance and goes in to investigate.

"(I spot something hot from the building.)" Gwen said loud and clear.

"Is it a fire?" Bruce asked.

No, a walking Magma

They find Magma, who violently forces him out of the way.

"More like a walking weenie roast on the loose." Batman uses the Batwing to fly to the area. "Get ready to move out, Gwen."

"I am if Gweny is." the inner self said. "Sorry, I guess some heroes aren't all that super from stealing things."

Gwen understands for her and the other half to have no other choice but to stop this right away, to have the three heroes to go bad now.

"(What a shame...)"

The two see that Magma was behind it all to leave some many lava all over to prove it and seeing him carrying the cube.

"Out this late to keep watch from evil." Batman asks him.

"Beat it, kid."

One hit sends Batman flying for Batwoman to try to fight back.

"(Batman!)" shock Gwen.

"Looks like I can use my fire on you to be made of fire..." she fighting him to have no affect to getting burned. "But I can't get hurt allowing me to fight back!"

Nothing was hurting Magma to then touching Batwoman to trapping her in a big melted rock for not going anywhere else take along.

"Sorry, lady, but you might have to come along with me."

"Hey! Let me go!" she couldn't break free. "This is not fair!"

Not good...He has the cube and Gwen/Batwoman for Terry/Batman to go after them. Realizing that there's something wrong, Batman sneaks onto Magma's vehicle back to Trio Tower.

"He has Gwen, Terry. Go follow her." Bruce tells him.

For Batman was already on the case.

"I'm on it. (Hang in there, Gwen.)" he said.

For Gwen sees that something was wrong for Magma to have her with a good reason to tell her other self to stop fighting back.

"(Stop this! Whatever Magma wants with me, just go along with it. Terry's with us to help out in a bit. For now we need to play along until then. Don't do anything yet. I wish I can help them if they weren't being so evil.)"

She does make a very good point about it, allowing her inner self Batwoman to stay put to see where this goes until Batman jumps in.

"At least you're using your head to have a good plan in mind. Fine, I'll stay put." she said. "But I won't like it."

Freon and 2-D Man are shocked at what Magma did from stealing the cube and kidnapping Batwoman, but he insists that he had to find the truth and has them load the DNA scan. From the shadows Batman watches as the group views the scan, which at first seems to show that their conditions are irreversible. And by taking some of Batwoman's blood, might save them to have another chance, even risking her life for theirs.

"(They're going to what?!)" shock Gwen.

"Are you sure about this?" ask 2-D Man.

"I don't know..." Freon had second thoughts.

For Magma didn't want to waste anymore time to take the blood from Batwoman right away to show some proof of them getting cured with her help, even if its by force.

"We have no choice, she'll die as a real hero for all of us if we do this." he place Batwoman on a chair. "Sorry, this will be over before you even notice."

Now what can Terry/Batman do to save her?

"Ah!" Batwoman hates the idea. "Hey, Gweny, now's the time to make a move before they do? I don't want the both of us to die like this!"

Magma looks closer and says its even worse, but before he can explain to taken Gwen/Batwoman's blood next, General Norman's forces attack the tower seemingly for no reason at all. Confused, Terry is caught up in the assault but manages to survive.

"Now the army?" he was lost. "I thought they were on our side too." Batman then gets pinned down from the rubble that's trapping him.

Now what's going to happen? For Gwen to get stuck to try to do something.

"(No, Batman!)" and for that, she has a plan. "(A Batarang. Okay, use your powers to make a light flame reflection on the Batarang's reflection that's a mirror side on it.)" Gwen/Batwoman tells her inner self. "(Please hurry, Batman needs us.)"

She gets the whole plan to give it a try.

"To bounce the beams back to the straps to freeing us...Good thinking, Gweny, I'm on it."

So much for having Batwoman's blood from the chaos to be going on, the three fight back at the army to making their escape to not getting cured in time. And enough for Batwoman to burn off the straps to get free and then freeing Batman next.

"You two got out." he said.

"Thank Gweny for the plan, she's smart when she's too bashful." she lift the machine part to melting it in half next. "Yes! Man, I needed that."

Let's not forget that Batman to Batwoman's suits are ten times stronger to also be lifting heavier things. The Trio manages to make its escape by setting up their car as a decoy and Magma tunneled downward through the lower floors, covering their exit point with an empty crate. Only Batman and Batwoman figure out the truth.

"(I don't think they were in the car.)" Gwen took a guess.

"It was a decoy?" questioned Bruce.

From the tunnel being dunged by Magma's doing allowing him, Freon, and 2-D Man to escape, it looks like it.

"Yep, its far from over." Batman sees it as well. "The good news is, Gwen's okay. However..."

They got a little of her blood, but not too much of it to be a different problem.

"(Don't worry, my fire can't trace who I really am.)" she explains. "(And it'll take more than my little blood to save them, it might make things worse.)"

Batwoman sees what her real half was getting at from Megan warning them the other day of the three heroes on what she just saw with Barbara Gordon.

"You mean...?" she says it. "If Gweny is thinking what I'm thinking to have the same brain, then the DNA with our blood won't work, it'll make things were from the temperatures in the room with the chemicals can cause a bigger radiation to destroy their blood cells to killing them from a stroke. Ah man...That's a mess up way to go."

"(That's it!)"

If that's true and what Megan said from the side effect warnings...Batwoman and Batman better find the three right away. Anf for Bruce to look it up back the Batcave, it was trouble.

"She's right."

"Then we better hurry." said Terry/Batman.

General Norman informs an obviously-distraught Dr. Hodges of the trio's 'death' in his laboratory and Batwoman to be no threat to them anymore to see her other good deeds she's been doing. He reminds Hodges that he himself told Norman that their deteriorating condition would eventually have made them dangerously psychotic before hanging up. Just then, the trio appear and confront Hodges. Taking him to the particle fusion lab where they were transformed, telling him that they had been reviewing the data of the experiment and that his notes prove he knew about the dangers of the experiment beforehand. Hodges denies it, but when Freon freezes his legs and the Trio restarts the experiment, he confesses: when the radiation reaches critical mass it cannot be contained, and even more shockingly, he set up the whole thing to kill Mike. Jealous of Mike's intelligence and success, he figured if Morgan was out of the way he'd have a chance to have Mary for himself. He didn't mean for Mary to be affected as well, nor for them to end up in their current conditions.

"Please, turn it off!"

"No." Magma ignore him.

"But the whole city will become a hot zone!" said the doctor. "You're crazy!"

"I believe your words were 'dangerously psychotic'." spoke 2-D Man.

"We are what you made us." and Freon.

He then begs the Trio to stop because the radiation from the experiment will destroy the city, but the Trio have been pushed over the edge and refuse to stop, determined to destroy themselves and take Hodges, General Norman and all of Gotham along with them. Just then...Batwoman uses her staff to throw it that was on fire to stop the blood from being used.

"Hey! Its not nice to take someone's blood to use for a cure, so gross!"

For Gwen/Batwoman to arrive, so was Batman.

"Party's over!" Batman and his partner fight against the trio.

Batman and Batwoman arrive to stop them and the blood that could've kill the three anyways.

"No...NO!" upset Magma. "What have you done?!"

"The cure!" same with 2-D Man and Freon.

Soon, Magma activates a venting system that traps Freon and the 2-D Man inside it. This enrages Magma, who then spots Hodges using a stray Batarang to break himself free and attempts to crawl to safety. In response, Magma throws a large column at the doorway, blocking it. Although, Batwoman stops Freon and 2-D Man to slow down, but not Magma. Leaving the other two to get sucked into the air vent to be out of the room.

"Ah...You're welcome." said Batwoman. "We just saved you from blood poisoning and now stopping the machine next before we all die. Batman, stop it!"

Batman tries to reason with Magma, trying to remind him that he's a hero, but he retorts that he's just an accident.

"I've gotta shut that thing off! Thousands of people will die! Magma! Having Batwoman's blood or killing off others won't change a thing! Dr. Morgan, you can't let that happen! You're a hero, remember?"

"(Please don't!)" Gwen beg of the man.

But sadly, he wouldn't listen to reason anymore.

"No, I'm an accident." he said. "Real heroes, they make a choice. And I never did."

Do something, someone! Or anyone! For Batwoman had her claws from her suit to break the fire hose to use.

"Batman! The water!" she tells her partner. "Use the water! While I...get back a little."

With Batwoman stepping aside, Batman is then forced to spray Magma with a fire hose, cooling him into a normal rock, and deactivates the experiment through the emergency abort system. They did it! I guess...Stopping them to be, whatever they are for the other two and Magma was out of it, their super hero days are over. For Gwen kind of felt bad for them.

"(If only there was another way than trying to hurt themselves, try to kill me, or be treated badly...none of this would've happened.)"

The inner self gets what Gwen was saying.

"In other words, life bites." she said. "Sad but true."

Batman acerbically asks Dr. Hodges if he is satisfied now that the Trio appears to be gone.

"Satisfied?" he asks Dr. Hodges.

"Dude, you outta be a shame of yourself!" angered Batwoman to turning her back next. "For shame."

Distraught, Dr. Hodges says he was their friend.

"No." he answers back. "You or Batwoman don't understand, I was their friend."

Yeah, you were once. But not anymore. And either way, who knows what will happen to them now for Batman to leave with Batwoman to saying this on their way out from the Dark Knight himself.

"Right."

A disgusted Batman simply leaves with Batwoman, and Hodges looks genuinely repentant for his past mistake and mourns for his friends' fate and downfall from grace. Bummer...for Gwen to feel a shame to not do anything at all to speak to Terry next on their way back home allowing her inner self to rest next.

"Heroes can never change with accidents to having super powers..." she said. "We would've."

Terry walks back with Gwen with his arms around her waist.

"That's why we're the only ones to help the people in Gotham, Gwen, just you and me..." he blushes to be touching Gwen the same way he does with Dana. "I didn't mean to!"

"Don't be!" she was blushing as well. "Terry, its fine. Thank you for cheering me. Knowing that I would never become like they were trying to do. Oh, no. I'm fine to stay the way I am with more training. And with the bracelet, I 'm under control a lot more."

True, it does help Gwen out to make Terry a bit happy to hear and see.

"Good for you, Gwen. That's the right decision to make. As a friend, I really don't anything to happen to you. I mean it. And when I show my feelings, it doesn't bother you right?"

"No." she said. "Not from you, Terry, you're my friend." she answers back. "Then I'll keep on training."

And for them to go back to the Wayne Manor to let Bruce and Megan know on what just happen, so does everyone else in Gotham to hear that the Terrific Trio was no more but a memory to die out afterwards. As for Terry to show some strong feelings for Gwen to fall for her a lot more than Dana, how will this go on.

"(She doesn't mind and yet I'm falling for another woman! And still, Gwen's someone who truly understand me.)" he said to himself.

Who do you guys think Terry should be with? Just saying...More of it later.


	6. Shriek

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 6 – Shriek

Derek Powers sits alone in a dark room while listening to a lecture from acoustician Walter Shreeve, who explains that sound is the first warning of danger and is under-appreciated. Just after that, Powers hears the sound of a locomotive racing towards him and stares into its headlight. Just as he screams in panic, the illusion ends and Shreeve points out that it was only to prove his point. At first Powers is angry at the mediocre demonstration. However, Shreeve shows his financial benefactor the real reason for his visit, this being the invention of a profound acoustical amplification/manipulation suit capable of easily destroying solid objects through use of focused infrasonic frequencies. Shreeve expresses his desire to use this suit to revolutionise the construction industry, but Powers is still unimpressed. Seeking though to make use of Shreeve Sound Laboratories' research & development which has been made possible by Wayne-Powers funding, Powers conceives a specific use for the young scientist's cyclopean sonic-suit: he propositions Shreeve to eliminate the elderly Bruce Wayne and capture Gwen/Batwoman.

"I want for you to solve a little problem for me?" Powers said to Shreeve.

"What?" he asked.

"Not what, who...As well as finding me Batwoman for I know who she is for her powers are very important to me."

Later, Bruce makes a speech 'as Gwen aids him from his work to stay by his side' to his board of directors expressing his disgust with Powers' idea to tear up Crime Alley, now known as Gotham's Historical District due to being left unchanged from the city's development, and build an industrial complex. He proposes that they hold a stockholders' meeting for a vote. The proposal is quickly seconded and Powers has no choice but to allow the meeting to take place. Nevertheless, he's sure that his plan will succeed.

"You're doing well standing up against Powers, Gwen, you're getting better." Bruce quietly said to Gwen.

She felt shy when her step-uncle said it.

"Huh? Who me?! Uncle Bruce, I'm just doing what you told me to do. Live a normal life to help you out at work and nothing else."

"But to ignore Powers to still wants you from your powers."

For Bruce to have a good point, Powers won't stop until he has Gwen in his hands.

"I wish to not be a weapon but to be myself who's not a monster. And I'm more worried about you from the likes of this person." she said. "I'm afraid soon enough he'll snap."

"But I can bite back." he added.

For Terry to be driving Bruce around and Gwen and Ace to be tagging along, he was getting their to be driving a future type of car really well.

"You're good driving a car, Terry."

"Thanks, Gwen." Terry smiles to impress her. "Maybe one day we'll teach you have to drive."

For Ace to bark to say that Gwen wasn't ready yet, she pets her friend to keep him calm.

"Now, now, Ace. Terry was just offering something to do. But I'll think about it, he did say one day, right?"

Gwen and Ace get a long well for the dog to know more about Terry, little at a time that is...Bruce and Gwen then meet up with Terry and takes him to Crime Alley, where he explains why he's fighting so hard to keep the place preserved: it includes the theater where his parents were killed. Megan meets up with the others on the spot where Bruce told her to be at.

"Hi, everyone. Welcome to the grave-like town." she said to place a rose on the spot. "For you, Mr. And Mrs. Wayne."

Terry and Gwen see why Bruce took them to the area.

"An old theater?"

"So, why keep this place?" Terry asks Bruce. "It looks so old in the area."

Bruce does show them.

"That theater: it was where my parents and I went the night they were..."

Sad, huh? For Gwen to learn about it felt bad for her uncle's loss from his parents were murder.

"I'm so sorry, Uncle Bruce." said the sad Gwen.

The city council is trying to preserve the area, 'but you know what it's like getting extra tax money'. Terry is confused as to why Bruce would want to keep that particular memory alive when he could easily allow the area to be torn down and forget it, but Bruce quietly compares it to Terry forgetting the memory of what happened to his father.

"I think you'd want it torn down, so after all these years you could finally forget."

"Do you want to forget what happened to your father?" Bruce questions Terry.

As Bruce reminisces, Ace starts acting strangely.

"Something's up with the mutt." Terry goes to check on Ace. "Come with me, Gwen."

"Okay!"

Terry and Gwen go up to check on Ace while Bruce and Megan continue to wander, arriving at the old Gotham Police Department headquarters.

"A crime fighter to be breaking into an old police building to be close down now. Nice going, Bruce." she was being silly.

Lots of old memories there, huh? Even the reward wanted poster of the Joker.

"Good times. For you, for me, from the good, or the bad, Megan." he holds hands with his wife. "We cannot forget things to never leave out pasts behind. Painful ones too, we have to re-live it for us to keep on living as long as we can."

"Good point. I don't want to forget what my Mom, Dad, or Talia did either. For the two to die badly, and my Aunt..." Megan got upset. "Suicide, not the best way to go.

So Katherine, Megan's aunt in this time line killed herself, bummer...For Bruce has always been with Megan and always will be since they gotten married.

"As I said, we live to tell and never replace for the things we once had."

When they get near what was once Commissioner Gordon's office, however, the building begins to shake; having been clued in by Ace's growling at the GPD, Batman and Batwoman arrive to assist the two.

"(Uncle Bruce! Megan!) Terry, we better get suited up." Gwen does it. "Burning Passion! Batwoman!"

She transforms for the inner self was all set to go.

"Ha!" she said. "Nice intro, huh? Wow!" she sees what was happening. "I have fire power to know that something's shaken up inside the old police headquarters where the old man and his wife are at. Trust me you two, the flames never lie on the shaking feeling of the direction it's at."

The two arrived to aid the others.

"Bruce!" Megan saves her husband to use an umbrella shield to save them from the falls building.

"Earthquake?" question Batman to aid the others.

While Batwoman burns some of the parts down with her flames.

"This is an unlikely earth quake we ever felt before." said Bruce.

Sounds like it, for Gwen to feel someone was inside of the place.

"(Someone's here.)"

"Who goes there, come on out so I don't have to burn you up!" said Batwoman.

As Bruce notes that it's not an earthquake when Batwoman demanded someone to show themselves, for Shreeve enters in his sonic-suit and starts attacking with sound blasts powerful enough to tear up the floor which severely damages the old building.

"Hi. I've come to claim Bruce Wayne's life and have Batwoman capture."

Getting Bruce and himself out of the way of several attacks and Megan helping him out, Batman and Batwoman try to engage Shreeve away from Bruce, but when Shreeve shows he's only interested in harming Bruce and getting Batwoman, Batman damages Shreeve's right hand sound generator with a Batarang and Megan's shooting skills.

"Ha!" she said. "I still have it after all of these years!"

The sparking and arcing unit hurts Shreeve and forces him to eject it; the distraction allows Batman to retrieve it, grab Bruce and run out of the GPD before it completely collapses. As Batwoman makes a fire wall to have Shreeve to not follow them, for her to get Megan next for them to escape.

"Let's go, Psyche Bounty Hunter queen." said Batwoman. "Up-and-at them!"

Batman and Shreeve are okay, but Bruce faints from the exertion.

"(Uncle Bruce's hurt!)" shock Gwen.

Not good...

"No, Bruce!" Megan holds Bruce in her arms. "Please be okay..."

"Mr. Wayne? Mr. Wayne?!" Batman starts to panic.

Terry and Gwen take Bruce to the hospital and the old man gives the staff a horrible time.

"Bruce, calm down." Megan helps Bruce out. "Let Terry and Gwen handle this mess."

"Its not my life in danger more, I'm worried about Gwen's! I can't stay here overnight."

"But, Uncle Bruce, I'll stay with Terry at all time with my other half helping me out and Batman, remember?" she said to her uncle.

Bruce fumes over the fact that he has to stay there overnight and is skeptical of Terry's ability to deduce the identity of the attacker on his own.

"She's right." said Terry. "A little vacation time with your wife will keep you company, and I got Gwen's back, and a lead."

"So now you're the detective?" Bruce questions Terry.

"Also me, Uncle Bruce, I like to help others by protecting you." Gwen said to feeling shy. "For Terry and I, we found this from the person who tried to hurt you and capture me. Like a type of metal disk to be hollow or something."

Megan tries to scan it from her special computer to hack into the item on what it was to help them out.

"I got something...Adversaries without special-purpose equipment can cause errors in the hard disk drive using either audible or ultrasonic acoustic waves...Attack scenarios also involved vibrations created by ultrasonic tones, which is sound that is created at a frequency higher than can be heard by humans (20 kHz and up). If I'm not mistaken...There was someone who made this to be a type of drug for your ears and got kicked out because it killed tons of people to the brain; he goes by the name of Walter Shreeve."

Nice thinking, Megan. Back at Wayne-Powers, Powers is displeased that Bruce is alive and now guarded in the hospital. However, Shreeve believes he can still get to his target. Bruce suddenly starts hearing a voice claiming that there's something he must do. The voices order him to go to the window and open it. The voice indirectly encourages him to jump from the window, which would cause him to fall to his death. Bruce screams and alerts the staff but they cannot hear the voices. Megan slaps Bruce to snap out of it.

"Voices...Can you hear them...?"

"Stop it, Bruce!" she felt kind of bad doing it. "Oops. (Sorry about that.)" When Bruce tries to force his way out of the room, the orderlies come and sedate him.

"Sorry, Megan, but we have to do this if you want to save yourself to save him!" said the nurse.

For the security guard to pull Megan out of the room, things make things turn out to be bad.

"Hey, wait! Bruce!" after getting kicked out for a bit for Megan had something in her ears. "Good thing I got my ears sealed to hear the sonic waves coming from the room. It was Shreeve's doing. (So he's behind this mess, I should've known. Gwen. Terry. How you two can save Bruce and yourselves, please do it fast.)"

Meanwhile, Terry does an analysis of the sound generator from Shreeve's suit and discovers it to be comprised of acoustium, an alloy developed by Shreeve Sound Laboratories. With Gwen doing the rest of the computer work 'that Megan taught her some' to get something.

"(If I'm not mistaken...It should be somewhere from the Shreeve Sound Laboratories to still be in business today.)" said Gwen's inner self. "(If I were you, Gweny, you and Terry should go check it out, with something first, don't go as the two Dark Knights just yet.)"

"Yeah, but the question is, how can we get in?" question Gwen.

Terry might have something in mind.

"Maybe you can get in, Gwen, but I know how I can differently..."

With this lead, he disguises himself as a misdirected pizza delivery boy and cons his way into Shreeve's lab with free pizza. And Gwen gets through the vent with her fire powers to use with the bracelet off to learn how to control them while being in a type of stealth mode.

"(Okay, you two, lets find this guy.)" said Inner Gwen.

Shreeve shows Terry some of his inventions such as a miniature radio receiver and transmitter and device to cancel out sound with Gwen listening in carefully to keep her fire down. However, when Terry asks about sound vibrations, Shreeve becomes suspicious and attacks him. Gwen felt trouble to jump in as her fire form to hide her identity.

"Terry!" she saves him with her fighting moves. "This feels different than my powers."

Terry grabs Gwen's arm to make a break for it.

"This way!"

Terry and Gwen manage to escape and the police learn of Shreeve. And to learn from the fire that was use a little from the sonic waves of the air can put out the fire in seconds.

"(Not good...Since we know he's the person who's trying to kill Bruce and getting you too, Gweny, I'm going to have more trouble with the fire since this guy can put them out!)" said the inner Gwen. "(What's the next plan, you two?)"

Terry and Gwen rush back to the hospital to inform Bruce, but the nurse informs him that he has been transferred to the psycho ward, apparently on Powers' advice and under Powers' care. Even Megan tried to stop it, but she had no right to.

"Sorry, you two. I tried, but he stopped me." said the sad Megan.

Powers has the no right to do that to Bruce, its all a set up!

"Don't worry, you two. Mr. Wayne's in the best care what my people will do to save a elderly man's life. Just leave it to me." he said.

For Gwen to hide next to Terry for Powers to be looking at him, this was far from over.

"Uncle Bruce..."

"And leaving poor Gwen to be left alone for me to take care of her too until her uncle's cure, I will. My. Wayne had no wife, real children or anyone else. Who can take care of him?" Powers questions them.

Terry would for Bruce and to keep Gwen by his side.

"Me! I can take care of them both." A bitter exchange between Terry and Powers leads to a brief physical altercation, but the orderlies subdue Terry.

Powers brushes him off with a threat to commit him as well, before returning to his office to have Gwen next real soon and see the end of Bruce Wayne.

"You should know something about the psycho ward here: there's always room for one more!" he said and then leaves. "Gwen, I know who you are to soon be mine."

Megan stands next to Terry and Gwen to keep them safe.

"Over my dead body, Powers, now beat it...!" she had her gun out to use on him only to be scene and not use. "That's right. Keep walking, pal."

Once Powers leaves, so do the others for Gwen to have one thing that she did without Shreeve to notice.

"Ah, guys...We can still save Bruce to prove that its this Shreeve's doing." she had something to show. "A type of tracking device to hide on the suit and I did before saving your life, Terry. I thought I should let you know since Bruce told me about his gadgets."

She did the right thing there for Terry to hug her.

"Gwen, you're amazing!" he was blushing to letting go slowly. "I...I mean it..."

"Nice thinking, Gwen, we still have a chance yet." said the happy Megan.

Looking for revenge, Shreeve prepares to kill Powers, who casually talks him out of it, telling him that he now has real power, and is dangerous.

"That's not going to help." Power said to him.

"No, but it'll make me feel better." he stops.

"You should be feeling fine anyway."

And what type of new name would that be for this dude?

"And why is that?" he asked.

"Because your costume gives you power. Real power. Ever had that before?"

No, you ruined this man's life to become a type of assassin villain.

"No." he answers back. "Not really."

"It's no small thing." Powers said. "Trust me."

"But I can't show my face anymore! Or use my name!

"The face is no loss, and if you miss your name, I'll give you another one."He renames him 'Shriek', who decides to find use for his newfound power. "One that fits your new persona...'Shriek'."

Powers then reminds him that he still wants Bruce killed, capture Gwen alive who's Batwoman, and if Batman intervenes, Shriek should kill him as well.

Batman and Batwoman both pay a visit to Bruce in the psycho ward and discovers the source of the voices: one of Shreeve's miniature radios hidden in Bruce's bandage.

"And this is where I come in." Batwoman melts it. "Hello, Bruce? Anybody home? Don't hear strange voices anymore?" she taps Bruce on the head. "Hello?!"

"I can hear only you. Its much better."

From Bruce's reaction, he was back to normal now.

"So that's how it was on you to make you hear voices." said Terry/Batman. "A guy name Shreeve makes this stuff for Gwen and me to figure out."

"(And we'll know when he comes back to kill you again to tracking him, thanks to the tools you told me on what they do.)" and Gwen.

He apparently bribed a nurse to place it there.

"You two still think I'm crazy?" Bruce asks them.

"It never came to mind." said Batman.

As for the nurse who place the device in the bandage on Bruce's head, Megan arrested her.

"Nice try, but getting paid to do this from a serial killer, that's not happening, lady." she takes her in to meet up with the others next and hugs Bruce. "Bruce!"

The two embrace.

"I missed you, Megan." said Bruce.

Terry looks away and Gwen was happy to hug Bruce a little.

"Ew, elderly make out."

Megan hits Terry on the head.

"I said I'm not old, kid!" she gets mad. "Ever heard of respect your elders?"

"Not when they abuse someone!" Terry rubs his head. "Ouch...that hurts."

Together, the four leave the hospital and trace the signal back to Shriek.

"Incoming killer at ten o'clock...Or eleven..." said Batwoman. "Whatever, this way."

Batman and Batwoman find him in a car factory and the three start to fight.

"Its coming from somewhere..."

"Not somewhere, right here." Shriek shows himself. "Batman, you're as good as dead. And Batwoman, like it or not you're coming with me."

Shriek has the advantage with his formidable sonic blasts, and Batman attempts to hide. With Batwoman trying to burn the villain up.

"Don't even think about touching me, creep!" she fires away at Shriek.

Affected, but for Shriek uses his sound waves to push back the fire to blow Batwoman aside.

"Now you know why I'm call Shriek." he tries to capture her. "Clever, huh?"

"(Hey! Get up!)" Gwen tells her inner self.

This allows Batwoman to try whipping at Shriek to fly through the powerful sonic waves at least.

"I'm am, Gweny, don't rush me!"

Shriek's suit artificially allows him advanced auditory abilities and he is able to locate Batman with the sound of a screw dropping. Which soon gives Gwen an idea on which room they were in to come useful to them both.

"(Batman, bring on the noise!)"

Desperate to neutralize this advantage, Batman turns on the factory's machinery, causing a concert of noise.

"Try hearing us now!" Batman hides.

"Gweny, I never doubt you for a second." Batwoman joins with her partner. "Wait for me!"

Shriek, however, reveals another of his sonic-suit's acoustic abilities: the projection of a dampening field that cancels out all ambient sound waves (for Batman as well as himself and to Batwoman), after which he isolates and amplifies the echo of Batman's footsteps from a distance. Or from Batwoman's movements when making fire with her arms can also be heard. Batman and Batwoman are pursue out of the factory in an eerily complete silence, nearly getting killed not only by Shriek but a series of dangers that they're unable to detect without sound.

"(They can't hear the sounds, I can.)" Gwen knows of someone else that can too. "(And one more being...Ace, here boy! Bad man hurting us! Go get him!)"

However, as Ace is able to hear, Bruce unleashes him; the canine saves Terry and Gwen from being hit by a truck. Just as Shriek finds them, Batman once again damages his right hand sound generator with a Batarang and Batwoman to use a spark bomb to set the rest of it off, causing the dampening field to suddenly cut-out and Shriek's ears are overwhelmed by the various sounds of the city which are collectively amplified in exponential by his sonic-suit.

"Not a good hearing to have it all over your ears, huh buddy?" she said. "Have a taste of your own medicine."

Screaming in pain, Shreeve collapses and receives a shock when Batman removes his helmet: he has gone deaf.

"No! NOOOOOOOO!"

Megan arrives to arrest him afterwards.

"Lucky for you, Shriek, you won't hear someone coming in your cells when you're all alone with no sound for the rest of your prison life time." she said. "And having things to hear can really mess with your ear drums. Stupid. (Nice going, Terry and Gwen. Thanks for saving my Bruce.)"

With the trouble over, Bruce appears at the stockholders' meeting opposite Powers. They explain their relative positions, and ask the stockholders to vote. The vast majority votes 'Nay' and the motion is defeated. Ha!

As everyone disperses, Terry expresses his hopes that Shreeve will eventually decide to testify against Powers.

"Too bad Shreeve's wasn't here to testify the whole thing."

"He was a mad man with sound powers to put the bad ringing to my ears too." said Gwen. "Just thinking about it gives me a headache."

Bruce answers that he might if his hearing returns (if it ever does).

"Maybe he might talk when he gets his hearing back."

"Yeah, you mean if he does." Megan added.

Terry then asks Bruce why he didn't think the voices were coming from his head. He gives two reasons: First, Bruce knows he is not psychotic. Second, to which Terry hopes is more convincing, the 'voice' was calling him Bruce, but that's not what he calls himself.

"The voice kept calling me 'Bruce'. In my mind, that's not what I call myself." he said.

And Megan says this to to the others.

"Its true."

"But others do, I guess..." Gwen said. "How odd."

"What do you call yourself...?" Terry stops. "Oh yeah, I suppose you would." he then lowers his voice. "But that's my name now."

This amuses Bruce to grunt and smile.

"Tell that to my subconscious."

Eventually realizing what he means, Terry asserts 'that it is his name now'. Bruce sarcastically remarks, 'Tell that to my subconscious'. For the girls to be laughing to know that Bruce was still himself to be original Batman.

"That's our Uncle Bruce for you." Gwen smiled.

"(In more ways in one maybe.)" Inner Gwen added. "(Just saying, he can be an odd person, but in a good way.)"

Tell us something we don't already know about Bruce Wayne. Oh, wait! We already know everything. Also, be careful when using something on your ears, because if you don't – it'll cause very painful stuff to make you lose your hearing for good. Or worse, it can sometime causes bigger brain damage issues. Just saying...


	7. Dead Man's Hand

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 7 – Dead Man's Hand

Out at sea, a single man drives a sailboat and is rudely shoved out of the way by a huge yacht. The snobby passengers mock him but are soon distracted by a group of people dressed as playing cards: a King, Queen, Jack, an Ace, and a Ten, riding flying cards. The group attacks the passengers and steals their possessions. Batman and Batwoman notice the commotion and reports to Bruce.

"Pick a card any card..." Batwoman made a joke. "A group of people likes to play their deck quite well."

"(What does that mean?)" Gwen said to her other half to have a look and see. "(They look like rich family type to steal from other rich people.)"

"Looks like it, ladies." Terry/Batman tells Bruce all about it. "They look like they're dress as a type of plain cards."

Bruce recognizes the villains but doesn't have time to explain.

"Plain cards?"

"Looks like it, Bruce, he knows what we're getting on about." Batwoman added. "Could you tell us the scoop?"

Well, Bruce will get back to that part way later, but for now...

"Come on, Gwen, its time to take flight." he said.

Not good for the five to be robbing others.

"You'll get another one soon, enough." Ten said to the rich woman. "And you won't have to steal for it."

"Yeah, she earns hers the old fashioned way." Jack made a joke.

Soon enough, Batwoman and Batman arrive on the ship and breaks up the robbery.

"Five of you against two of us...Well, two in the half including my other real self." Batwoman said.

For this girl to stop Ten and Jack, for Jack really likes Batwoman's attitude.

"Feisty lady, but I love that from a woman like her." he winks at his enemy.

This makes Gwen and her other self feel weird to not like Jack at all. However, Queen wrecks the ship and demands that the two allow her family to escape or the people of the ship will die for Gwen to point out the danger.

"(They're playing dirty!)"

"My husband, or the passengers?" the Queen make them choose. "Who's it going to be, you two?"

Batman and Batwoman have no choice and allows his adversaries to leave.

"Okay, people, everyone out of the ship and into the life boat before drowning." Batwoman tells the people.

Bruce checks to see if everything is alright.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"(We're good, Uncle Bruce, and so are the people.)" Gwen reports back.

"Although they got away." When Terry informs him they got away, Bruce insists he comes back to the Batcave to learn more about his enemies.

"Try coming back, we need to talk about them."

However, Terry tells him they'll meet later as he is late for another appointment, Bruce tries again to talk with him but soon realizes Terry is already gone.

"Later, I got an appointment." Terry/Batman flies off. "Hey, Gwen, let's hang out later on when we can."

For Gwen to see Terry leaving for her to go check on her friend.

"What's beating him?"

For the inner self to ask, not even Gwen knows about it.

"(I don't know...Ah, Uncle Bruce, I'll check on him to come back to talk about the robber families in a bit. I promise.)" she said to fly off.

Bruce sees for Gwen always listens to reasons.

"Thank you, Gwen, I know talking to you will be easy for Terry to understand. I'll also get Megan to lend a hand on their identities."

"Thank you, Mr. Wayne-Millionaire." Batwoman made a joke for the real Gwen to feel embarrassed afterwards. "What? I'm kidding."

Later at a night club, Terry meets up with Dana and begins apologizing for being late, but Dana says she wasn't expecting him and believes that Terry only cares about his job. Terry tries to explain the situation but Dana ignores him while unknown to them, a blond girl is watching their argument outside. Terry says he doesn't intend to be late but has these new responsibilities, but Dana refuses to listen. Terry then says if she can't handle his job then they should forget about their relationship, but to his surprise Dana admits she has already forgotten it. Fed up, Terry leaves the club while Dana watches. Gwen changes back with her bracelet back on to check on Terry to not be so well.

"Terry?" she sees from the window of Dana not looking so happy. "Why is Dana rude to Terry? Aren't they close?"

"(Close as friends really.)" her inner self speaks up. "(Look, Gweny, there's something you should know about. Terry and Dana are...Oh, excuse me. Once in love with each other, but work gives Dana to not knowing of Terry as the Dark Knight Batman himself. The more for others to not learn about you or Terry's secret identities, the safer they'll be. But for Dana, she can be hard to understanding anything.)"

This was news to Gwen to not see about Terry was dating with someone.

"Oh, I see...He's a lucky person to be my friend."

Little does Gwen know but her other self, is that she wasn't feeling to well to have something going on with her entire body to happen out of nowhere. Huh? As Terry leaves the club, the blond girl intercepts him and reveals she witnessed the argument. They take a walk, where Terry begins explaining his problems to the girl, revealing his job takes a lot of his personal time. She tries asking more about the job, but Terry finds it hard to describe and changes the subject as to why she wasn't enjoying herself inside the club. She reveals she didn't know anyone, making Terry realize she is new to Gotham, she further explains that her parents move around a lot because of their work. Terry points out that at least she gets to see the world, but she mentions that she also loses her friends at the same time. They learn they each share similar problems and formally introduce themselves where the girl reveals herself as Melanie Walker. Suddenly much to his surprise, Melanie kisses him. Terry is mildly surprised, but Melanie admits it's always been 'now or never' for her. Terry then asks her out on a date to which she happily agrees. When Terry asks where to pick her up, Melanie replies it be better if he doesn't and instead they arrange to meet the next night at midnight under the big clock. Terry assures he'll be there and Melanie leaves, but not before giving him a kiss on the cheek. For Gwen to see this, her head starts to hurt her without knowing why.

"(Ah, are you feeling cool? Or well, Gweny?)"

"I don't know...my head hurts." she said. "I think I need to go back and tell Uncle Bruce I'm going to bed early."

Terry returns to the Batcave. Bruce reminds him he's late and mentions Dana, however Terry reveals they broke up, Bruce assures him, they'll eventually get back together but right know they need to focus on stopping the Royal Flush Gang.

"Megan, care to explain?" Bruce asks his wife's help.

She shows herself on the computer screen.

"Hey, Terry. I got something so far, but the rest I'm going to need some time to know who they are. Here's the history from the five Royal Flush Gang. Riches and such to steal from others to make a big living wherever they go to and rob on others, with skills to put a good fight; they're very hard to get them from their abilities they can do. King with the swords skills, Queen with her electrical wand, Jack's with both his fencing and card tricks, Ten with her quick reflex movements, and Ten with its physical body strength. And from these five, they're nothing but trouble to be causing more in Gotham this time."

Terry believes they are gone for good, but Bruce advises him they'll be back and reveals they have a history and further explains that the Royal Flush Gang is made by family members.

"That's something..." he wonders where Gwen was at. "Where's Gwen?"

"She's not feeling well." said Bruce. "She's resting for the night, I'll fill her in on the details tomorrow."

"I hope she's feeling well." Megan added. "Good luck to you both, I'll get back later."

For Ace to be worrying too, so was Terry to see Gwen was sleeping to feel so much pain right now.

"(I wonder what's eating her? I hope she's okay.)" he touches Gwen's face a bit to leaving the room next.

Meanwhile, at the Royal Flush Gang's apartment, Jack and Ace are sparing together until King appears and states if they were professionals than Batman would already be dead, revealing he harbors a grudge against the Dark Knight and his partner.

"You're acting like children." King said to Ace and Jack. "If you'd been prepared, Batman or Batwoman would be dead now."

"We got away with the jewels! What difference does it make!?" Jack asked. "Well, besides Batwoman...I don't mind stealing her away."

Jack doesn't understand King's problem as they got away with stealing the jewels, but King reveals his hatred towards Batman as he once broke up the gang for a while.

"I'll tell you the difference: years ago, when I was your age, he and his partner/lover some bounty hunter woman broke up this gang for a while. They outsmarted us, humiliated us, and I've been waiting years to get him back or her."

Meaning that Batman and Megan stop King and his other members at one time.

"Ah, the old revenge game. But tell me something, 'sire', how will that make us richer?" Jack understands but doesn't see how getting revenge on Batman will make them any wealthier, King silences him by punching him and changes the subject, planning their latest scheme.

King notices Ten's absence, until she returns revealing Ten to really be Melanie. Oh, no...The next night, the family are on the rooftop of an museum, seeking to steal a decorative sword. While Ten is busy disabling the alarms, King advises her to be thorough, assuring they have all the time in the world. Ten quietly disagrees as she is distracted as she checks the time for her date with Terry. Batman and Batwoman are flying in the Batmobile, Bruce advises him as to where the Royal Flush Gang are going to strike next, but like Ten, Batman is slightly distracted as he checks the time for his date with Melanie. For Batwoman to notice for Gwen wasn't feeling well to take over for her, this is getting serious.

"Roger that, Bruce, we'll take over for Gwen gives you her regards. Over and out." she said to see Terry/Batman looking at his clock. "You look like you need to be somewhere later, don't you mister?"

"Just hanging out with a friend is all. How's Gwen doing?" he asked.

"Oh, like you want to know! I don't think she's feeling so well. And you have the right to ask me to let her sense on how you worry on your friend?"

Terry doesn't get on what was up with Gwen Grayson lately.

"What did I do wrong to make her sick?"

"I don't know!" she said back. "Maybe because you have a hard love life to fall for a strange girl, Dana's rude, and you seem to have more feelings for Gwen the most to have a huge crush on!" Batwoman kept her cool from the fire powers of hers. "She may not like being mad or anything to be so sensitive, but she had a big heart to show that there's another side of her than you two remaining as friends only. I'm just saying...You figure the rest out."

Terry/Batman didn't think it was his fault to have Gwen feeling this way that she doesn't even know about yet, but maybe her other half does...

"Well, just make sure she gets better." he said. "Look, we better stop the family of rich madness while there's still time."

Ten finishes disabling the alarms, King tries to make certain, but Ten assures them and asks if they can finish the plan, growing impatient. However, the security system is still active, despite Ten cutting the wires. The family enters the museum and as King goes for the sword, guards intercept them but they manage to escape. However, Batman and Batwoman manage to catch up with them and attacks.

"Hi, Batwoman!" Jack said to blow her a kiss. "Come to dance with me?"

"Really, Jack?" Queen questions him.

"This is no time to flirt, they're our enemies!" King said loud and clear.

"Sorry, Deck-of-Weirdos, but I fold and calling all of you out. And Jack, you're not even my type, but thanks for trying." Batwoman said to be ready to fight. "Fire powers, don't fail me now. Batman, cover me!"

While Batman subdues Ace, Queen, and Jack attack him while King and Ten watch them for Batwoman to stop the other ones with her fire powers. Batman eventually manages to stop them and soon Ten enters the fight, while they struggle, Batman finds an opening to attack but cannot bring himself to hurt Ten.

"What's wrong? Afraid to hit a girl." she hits back. "Too bad." Ten gets grabbed from behind by Batman.

Soon a guard arrives and tries to stop them, but is captured by Jack while Ace manages to break free.

"Help...Me..."

"Let that man go, you freak!" Batwoman tries to step in.

"Go out with me, and maybe I will." said Jack. "Come on, Batman, let Ten go or this gross security person gets my point, you see?"

Batman has Ten restrained but is forced to release her when the gang threaten the guard.

"A wise decision, you two. Now stand down and we'll let him go and we'll go with some goodies." said King. "Thank you."

The group escapes, taking the guard hostage but Batman still gives chase.

"Batwoman, follow me!" he takes flight.

"That little..." she does the same. "Don't forget about the hostage, Earth to Batman!"

To stop Batman and Batwoman pursing them, King orders Jack to drop the guard, despite Ten's protests. Batman saves the guard as fall down to the ground.

"My leg!" the guard was in pain.

"At least you'll live." Batman helps him. "We'll get you to the hospital."

Batman is alright, but the guard reveals he injured his leg during the fall. Batman helps the man to the hospital, but while he checks the time he notices he's really late for his date with Melanie. For Terry to look at the time to be worried, and Batwoman even more for Gwen to be seeing this and was feeling much worse.

"Ah, man...This is bad."

The Royal Flush Gang manages to escape, but King threatens Ten for arguing. Some father he is to do that to his only daughter! As Gwen tries to come around to get dress and see how Terry was doing for Megan to catch on to this mess.

"Gwen?" Bruce was lost.

"Ah, Bruce, there's a easy answer on why Gwen's acting this way to Terry's confusion for her other half to already know what it is." she tells her husband. "Don't you see? Terry is in love with Gwen Grayson!"

Bruce was shock to not realize it until now for Ace had his ears up to notice already, and for Megan to catch on so soon.

"Terry loves Gwen?"

But there's a problem to it...

"Here's the thing...Gwen is a half human clone to not know what love is but friendship to learn a lot faster. Now for Terry to have his doubts with Dana to fight a lot and this Melanie person to have something going on to rush into love, he's slowly having some other feeling to not show completely of their love a lot more. Its a...how do I put this...like I had with you until I realize you were in love with me when we first met."

Makes sense, I guess. Later, Terry heads out to the meeting place but she's nowhere to be seen 'but Gwen to watching by hiding. Feeling disappointed in himself, Terry begins to leave. However, Melanie soon arrives just as late as he. The couple happily reunite and enjoy their time together for the rest of the night. However, Melanie reveals to Terry that her family are planning on moving again, when he tries to ask how long it'll be, Melanie wants to avoid it and decides to 'live in the moment'. Terry then asks to see her again the next night, Melanie says yes but reveals it to now be tonight as they watch the sun rise. Terry and Melanie share a hug goodbye and assure they will both meet again that night. For Gwen's inner self felt bad to run off back to the Wayne Manor to know how deeply hurt she was.

"(Gweny, ah man...I don't know what to say.)"

Rushing back home to look like a mess and feeling a bit weak from the rain to soak her body up from the fire to not be use until she's dry to go over to Bruce to start crying.

"Gwen, what's wrong?" he asked his step-niece.

"Oh, Uncle Bruce!" Gwen started to cry. "I feel so weak that it hurts so much! Terry's in pain to be with this woman who's a stranger to sense something sad and wrong...I don't know what's wrong with me! I'm losing him!"

Bruce hugs Gwen back to see that Megan was right about Gwen's condition to feel something was up with Melanie to be different for Terry to be dating with out of nowhere. He had to talk to Terry.

"It'll be all right, Gwen, I'm sorry." said Bruce to show his feelings. "It'll be fine. I'll talk to Terry. But just remember, he still cares about you more than you know. I need you to go get clean up and rest."

"Okay..."

Before Gwen to take a hot shower to be fine with her body, Bruce asks her one thing on Terry's new girlfriend.

"Just tell me one thing, what's this new girl's name?"

"Its...Melanie Walker..." she answers back to blowing her nose. "She just showed up when Terry and Dana had a fight."

Because of their desire for companionship things start going bad for both Batman and Ten. Terry refuses to go out again, much to Bruce's dismay.

"Look, if you had any proof they were gonna try something tonight, it would be different, but I'm not gonna change my plans because of a hunch." Terry said to Bruce.

And then he says...

"Batman would."

"Hey, I put my life on the line all the time. One night's not gonna make any difference."

Yeah, we get it Terry. You want fun and love, but its hard to do when you're Batman.

"One night always makes the difference." Bruce says back.

"I know what it is. You can't stand to see anyone going out and having a life. You want me to end up like you, alone. Only to be secretly married to Megan Tsuki that the whole world doesn't know about but you two." he said back. "I know what I want."

"In case you don't want is this, Gwen's not feeling well because of you dating with Melanie Walker to mess with her mind." said Bruce. "Or in case you didn't notice yet, you're in love with her more!"

Terry was shock to see that it was all true for Bruce and Batwoman's words to prove on Gwen to feel weird and Terry too when he's around her, but still he wanted this life with Melanie only.

"Me in love with Gwen...? And what would you know about it?!"

Terry takes off for Bruce to find something on Melanie's strain of hair on a card to be stuck, a clue maybe? Gwen thinks so to overhear everything just now.

"(A piece of hair on a deck of cards?)" question Gwen. "Terry..."

Meanwhile, at their apartment, King is scolding Melanie for her mistakes and informs her that she must stay focused. However, Melanie sees that her father is being hypocritical, since he is only focusing on getting revenge on Batman and Batwoman for which he's making everyone take stupid risks which will eventually lead to their capture. King gets more angry and states he won't take any disrespect towards him or the family and says that Melanie might as well leave. She agrees with him and starts to head towards the elevator. While King is shocked, Queen is angry at him and goes to speak with Melanie. Queen speaks with her daughter, stating the family has always taken care of them and always will, but is curious why her daughter would want to give it all up. Melanie reveals to her mother it's because of a boy. Queen doesn't believe it to be real love despite Melanie's protests. Queen begins convincing Melanie to stay with them, stating men will come and go while also saying most men cause nothing but trouble.

"Melanie, men come and go." Queen tells her daughter. "Most of them cause nothing but trouble."

Melanie points out they don't know Terry, but Queen mentions she never even introduced them to him, knowing that he wouldn't fit in with them. She further convinces Melanie to stay, saying her real King will come in the future along with all the money and freedom she desires, as long as she stays with the family. Meanwhile, Terry is at the meeting place, still waiting for Melanie. Terry's phone rings and it's revealed to be Melanie. Deciding that Terry isn't worth giving up her family, Melanie reveals she can no longer see him again and despite Terry asking for an answer, Melanie simply states their relationship didn't work out. Terry knows there's something troubling her, but again Melanie doesn't answer him and says goodbye to Terry, ending their relationship. Gwen shows up to meet with Terry on how he was doing.

"Gwen?"

"Hi, Terry...I think Megan told me to come here to see Melanie again, right?" she asks her friend. "But it didn't go so well, didn't it?"

Terry had trouble saying something to Gwen.

"How are you feeling?" he asks her.

"Do you hate me?" Gwen then asks Terry.

Not to him for saving Gwen's life 'of there was far more to it'.

"What? No. I would never." he then changes the subject. "But there's something that's part of me who likes you more than a friend...I don't know, but I want you to know that I would never push you aside, Gwen, not ever."

This makes Gwen feel a little bit better to hear Terry say that.

"And I still don't get why I was feeling strange, it was weird..." Gwen got to another subject to say. "Or, right! Megan told me that the strain of hair found on the card from the Royal Flush Gang might have something to do with Melanie, she's hurt and in danger. I can feel it."

"What kind of danger?" Terry, worried for Melanie, traces the call and heads to her home as Batman. "Gwen, please help me."

And she does to go as Batwoman.

"Of course." she transforms. "(I can still fight even if my head starts to hurt again.) Burning Passion! Batwoman!"

While investigating, they discover a case filled with stolen jewels and a playing card, finally discovering the truth about Terry's girlfriend.

"And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen...Ta-dah!" Batwoman said. "Terry's so call girlfriend's really part of the Royal Flush Gang member – Ten!"

"(Not now...)"

Gwen tells her other half to not make a scene.

"What? Too soon?" she asked.

While Batman takes a closer look at the card, he realizes it's a trick card, creating a small explosion.

"(Terry!)" Gwen/Batman checks on Terry/Batman from the impact from the bomb he took. "(Are you hurt?)"

Things only get worse for the criminals to return back at their hideout for Batwoman to alert them right away.

"Ah, you guys...They're coming..."

The Royal Flush Gang return and while everyone is delighted with their stolen goods, Ten is still upset for having broken up with Terry, while King is disappointed that Batman or Batwoman didn't show up for their latest crime, revealing he had a 'special' card.

"Hey, we have a visitor." Jack points it out. "Maybe two of them."

However, Jack notices that their trap had been tripped and realizes that someone has been there. King orders everyone to search for the intruder, but instructs Ten is stay, showing he still doesn't trust her. Queen searches the bedrooms until she discovers a device, releasing has that knocks her unconscious, Batman and Batwoman catches her and attempts to sneak away after turning himself invisible.

"That's one down, and five more to go." said Batwoman. "Batman, let's go."

However, as they attempt to escape Batwoman soon knocks Jack unconscious.

"Ouch." said Terry/Batman.

"What? He was being a creep to me, not to Gweny."

Unfortunately, Ace appears to Batman and puts up a fight for Batwoman to lighten things up.

"Ah, Batwoman, some help please?" he asked.

"Roger that!" she jumps in.

Batman struggles but eventually manages to beat Ace for Batwoman's fire whip melts its entire body to be a complete mess. Also, Ace wasn't even human to begin with.

"(That explains why Ace is so strong, he's a robot.)" Gwen sees it. "(I guess we have two more to beat. And Terry, if anything...I'll stop Ten for you who's your...you know...)"

Batman and Batman continue searching the apartment and soon finds Ten, Batman is shocked seeing her that he doesn't attack. However, unknown to him it's a trap as King secretly hides nearby, however he soon reveals himself and throws the special card that he had prepared for Batman earlier as Batwoman makes a shield to save his life.

"Look out!"

The card creates a large explosion that sends Batman and Batwoman outside falling. Batman saves himself and his partner and King soon appears and destroys his wings, but manages to grab onto King's playing card.

"Wanna go for a ride, Batwoman?" he asked. "Hold on!"

Distracted, King and Batman land on a roof of a nearby building while in the process destroying King's playing card. Allowing for Batwoman to have a type of metal bards of fire to trap King in it.

"That was some ride." she said.

Ten then appears to them and is struggling to decide what to do, while King wants her to help him escape from the arriving police, Batman hopes that she will runaway.

"Ten, come and help me!" said King.

"Don't do this..." Terry/Batman said to himself.

However, Ten decides to help King instead. Oh, no...Batwoman steps in to talk some sense into her and stopping her from doing anymore of this.

"Stop this now!" she said. "Gweny, you want this too! We're doing him a favor!"

"Let go of me!"

"(Ten, don't!)" Gwen speaks out her mind about Melanie on the things she was doing. "This isn't you to have a good life with Terry, but you know what I hate more than having him see someone and rude people I feel scared to be around with? Is people who hurt my friend's feelings!)"

Ten seems to understand her mistakes from Gwen's words and Batwoman's actions to get through to her a little...But then a police officer shoots her down.

"No!" he flies down to save Ten right away.

"(Terry!)"

Batman saves her but since she chose to side with King, he's branded her as a criminal as well.

"I guess there's no chance of letting me go, huh?" she asked to look at Batwoman next. "Say, you remind me of this girl who's been spying on me and a boy like...I think he knows her to like her more than a friend, and I'm talking about the one at the dance club."

So Melanie notice Gwen to be spying on her and Terry to see that Gwen and Terry might like each other a lot, for the other half felt bad to end up this way.

"(I'm sorry, Terry...)" Gwen felt bad.

The fact that the police arrive immediately after she requests he let her go is a further prompt to hand her over the authorities. Megan short of makes it happen.

"Wait!" she tells the officers. "Melanie was a use tool, I'm sure if we have her working as her punishment to testify in court until a few month release, she'll learn her lesson."

"And what if she doesn't, Ms. Tsuki?"

As one of the officers asked, she makes one thing clear.

"I'll put Ten in her place myself." said Megan. "Okay? Go easy, the rest you can take away."

That morning, Terry and Gwen watches as Melanie and her family are arrested.

"Can you tell Terry and Gwen I said good-bye?" Melanie asks Megan.

"I can do that."

They'll be back one day and I hope that Melanie doesn't become Ten again afterwards to get some serves to do from her small crimes, but I think her and Terry's relationship was over. For Gwen felt bad for her friend as her inner self says something to her next.

"(Hey, Gweny, go. Say something to him.)"

And she tries to.

"Terry, I really am sorry." she said. "But I did ask Megan if she could..."

"Thanks, but it wouldn't matter now." said Terry. "Still, she did some crimes to still bring her to justice a bit. I think I'll get over it if you're with me. You still want to hang out?"

Gwen shakes on it with Terry to feel a bit better to have their friendship to be the same, and some for Terry to really be falling for her.

"I can do that, yes please."

"(She's cute when she smiles.)" he said to himself.

Terry is distraught at this troubling experience for Gwen to still be by his side, but Bruce arrives to offer his support too and Megan.

"Go ahead, Bruce, help him out." she hugs and kisses her man. "I know I did so far."

"And I will. Thanks, Megan, you're the best."

And he does that for Gwen was happy to see them.

"Hi, Megan. Hi, Uncle Bruce." she said. "And see, Terry? You're not alone for their love to grow."

Terry apologizes for the way he acted before and asks Bruce if he had difficulty with romance before Megan came along.

"Mr. Wayne, those things I said, I'm sorry." said Terry. "This kind of thing ever happen to you? Before you and Megan were a thing?"

Bruce smiles and begins to tell Terry about his relationship with Selina Kyle 'who was once Catwoman and Megan's best friend/rival' as they walk away.

"Its fine. Besides, Megan, I had...a few good ones in my life time." he said back. "Let me tell you about a woman named Selina Kyle..."

For Bruce tells Terry everything, Megan tells who Selina was to Gwen as they were walking next to them.

"Old history of a certain person once, huh?" Gwen asked.

"Either way, there's a lot to say on the many women Bruce fell for, or they fall for him or as Batman. Believe me, Gwen." Megan answers. "But we all know what went down in the end, to be a good thing really."

Can't help but to be in love for Megan and Bruce to last forever. As for Terry, he's starting to know Gwen more, and for her to soon discover what 'love' really is. Still, I feel bad for Melanie a bit, you know? Kind of sad.


	8. The Winning Edge

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 8 – The Winning Edge

Out on the streets of Gotham City, a group of Jokerz crowd around an illegal arms dealer who shows them some of his impressive merchandise.

"Ooh, I could have some laughs with this!" said J-Man while holding an illegal hand gun to shoot with it.

However, Batman and Batwoman both show up and breaks up the sale.

"Drop it, clown."

"And on today's sale is a Jokerz gang and friend getting a deals off to the county jail by Batman and me." said Batwoman. "Now then...let's dance!"

Now they were all caught.

"Its the Bat-Freaks!" said one of the Jokerz members.

In an unfortunate accident, one of the Jokerz shoots the delivery van and blows it up. The two had done it once again.

"Ah, man...what do I tell my boss?"

Batwoman gets the other man with her fire skills, leaving Batman to tie him up.

"Tell him that there was a fire starter." he said. Batman has foiled the arms deal but the late nights are getting to him.

For Terry and Gwen return to the Wayne Manor for Bruce sees Terry feeling a bit tired lately.

"Excuse me, Terry, but since when did you get a good night sleep?" Gwen asks him.

"Its hard to tell for being so tired..." he yawns.

Bummer...

"These late nights too much for you?" Bruce asks Terry next.

"The nights aren't tough. It's the mornings." Terry answers. "There's nothing to worry about, Gwen, I'll get use to them somehow."

Hopefully for Terry to be right to not have Gwen or her inner self to worry so much.

"(You'll pass out by the time you stop the biggest bad guy to come by one day, and then what? Don't fall asleep on the job please.)"

The next day, with Gwen working hard in school, Terry sleeps in class again and the teacher gets angry, giving him a note to take home. Dana tries to comfort Terry by asking him to the game that night, though Terry refuses the offer at first, but Dana further persuades him, saying 'you need some excitement in your life'. I guess they're back together again...What's up with their relationship?

"Don't be such a spud." she tells Terry. "You need some excitement in your life. And Gwen, you'll come with us too. We need a buddy hang out. You two are like brother and sister."

She's got the wrong idea for Gwen and Terry to look at each other on what Dana just said.

"Sibling friendship? US?" the two said it together.

During the game, the opposite team easily scores a goal and the Coach berates his players for under-performing. As the time out ends, one of the players, Mason, rolls up his sleeve and slaps a patch onto his arm, which instantly bulges with muscle. As Gwen sees this, her inner self tells that they both felt something off abou the special patch.

"(Either this kid quits smoking, or...)" she wonders.

"Something about the patch isn't what it seems to be." Gwen says the rest. "(I don't like what this man's doing. His muscles are twice as big than before.)"

With his newfound strength, Mason checks one of his opponents so hard he pushes him through the wall of the court, almost hitting Terry, Gwen, and Dana in the process. The referee objects, but the Coach commends Mason.

"Nice hit, Mason." said the Coach.

What was that all about? Gwen sees the patch to have an odd feeling about all of this.

"What's in this stuff?"

That night, Batman and Batwoman intervene in a robbery at an electronics store.

"Hey, I'm on big screen."

Batman kicks the man down and Batwoman had spikes on the ground to be in flames.

"Smile, big boy!" said Batwoman. "You're on TV of the crimes you've committed tonight."

The thieves are three teenagers, Mason among them, and as they run, one of them yells out Mason's name.

"Mason, wait!" said on the thieves.

"Mason?" this catches Terry/Batman's attention.

Batman corners Mason, who slaps on three patches and doubles in size.

"(Batman! Don't go near Mason!)" Gwen warns her partner too late.

"The man at the sports game?" catches Batwoman's surprise. "Didn't see this one coming."

Mason was now much stronger than Batman and Batwoman and easily throws the young dark knight around the room and dodging Batwoman's fire so fast to hitting her to the ground with his double smack down strike, allowing he and his two friends to escape.

"(Same patches Mason use from the games, I just know it.)" said Gwen. "(You okay, Terry?)"

"What happened?" Bruce asks the others.

"Those guys..." Batman gets back up. "They're a lot stronger than they look..."

Another patch was found for Gwen to pick up and Batwoman to recognize it.

"Same old patch, same type of trouble." she said. "Bruce, we need to get to work."

Morning comes and Chelsea runs after Mason. Mason blows her off but she notices that he doesn't look so good and realizes he's on slappers. Angered at this, Mason yells at Chelsea and she breaks up with him. Soon after, Mason's partners in crime arrive and give him the money they made from fencing the stolen goods. However, even his partners notice that he doesn't look so good. For Gwen to spot this scene to have a peek on what Mason was up to.

"(Mason?)" she could tell to read about people doing drugs from the books she's been studying. "(Its not just from not smoking anymore, I think those patches that Mason's taking are drugs.)"

Later, Mason buys slappers from a supplier concealed in a black car. He uses one of the slappers and instantly feels better. For her and Terry sees this to be a problem. Night comes over Gotham and Batman and Batwoman are on the move again. Searching Mason's locker, they discover the packet of slappers and takes them.

"Its the same drug patches alright." said Batwoman. "One...two...three...More like twenty of them."

"Looks like it."

However, Coach Creagar finds and attacks them.

"Looks like I got myself a rat problem, two of them." he said.

Batwoman steps in to save Batman by putting up the heat.

"Strong and brave you are, huh? Well, no one can withstand my deadly flames no matter how strong you look!"

For the man walks up for her to outrun the coach to help Batman in the stadium to continue on with their fight.

"I eat punks like you two for breakfast!"

Batwoman throws her partner, for Batman slams Creagar into a wall.

"Sorry to spoil your appetite." said the Dark Knight.

After a brief fight, however, Batman and Batwoman manage to beat the coach and escapes.

"Strike three! You're out!" Batwoman made a joke. "Sadly, this isn't baseball. So, now what do we do?"

"(Beats us.)" Gwen answers.

Later, Terry finally makes it home and Matt mockingly proclaims him to be in trouble. Mary walks in and confronts Terry about his tardiness. Terry claims that he was running errands for Mr. Wayne, but she doesn't buy it. She already knows that he's been caught sleeping in class, and wants to see the note from his teacher. Before Terry can reach for it, Matt runs to get it, and as Terry tries to stop him, he drops his backpack and the packet of slappers falls out. Mary believes that he's been using them, and grounds him until further notice after Terry tries to explain what happened, much to Terry's dismay. Restricted to work, Terry goes to Bruce and Gwen and gives Bruce a slapper that he managed to keep.

"She grounded you, Terry? I'm sorry to hear that. And I know you would never take these things." Gwen felt bad.

"A good thing you kept them on you." Bruce added.

Megan speaks from Bruce's Bat-Computer to find something from the slappers to scan them from hers.

"Okay, lets see what I can get at. Just give me minute, boys and girl."

Taking a bit, how will this get Terry out of this mess?

"Any advice on how to get out of this mess?"

"Arch-criminals I can handle. Mothers are something else." he said. Bruce then analyzes it and finds that it contains Venom.

"Venom?" confused Gwen.

"(What's that? And don't tell it from a snake's venom to drink it like apple juice. Because that'll be sick!)" said inner Gwen.

For Megan tells the others on what it was.

"Venom was a potently addictive strength-enhancing super-steroid. According to JSA Classified #17 (November 2006), Venom was based on the Miraclo Formula that was developed at Bannerman Pharmaceuticals, the drug company that was formerly owned by Rex Tyler, the original Hourman. This stuff is deadly to make you twice as strong, with very bad side affects to it. Bruce, we both know who this belongs to, right?"

"One person indeed, Megan." Bruce puts up an image on the computer next to show it to Terry and Gwen. "Bane."

"Bane?" Gwen was scared. "He looks scary."

"And a very bad person to mess with." Megan added.

The only person who has the formula is Megan and Bruce's old enemy Bane, who now lives on a remote island estate.

"I've heard about him." said Terry.

"And you two are going meet him as well." Bruce added. "Megan has located Bane on where he might be right now."

Thanks to Megan's quick thinking and Bruce to guide the other two, for Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman to use the Batwing to make their way to the island.

"And you sure he'll be here or what?" Batwoman asked.

"(I feel something like Uncle Bruce said...Something about Bane is both deadly and weak, but that's all.)" Gwen felt something. "(I'm not so sure why...But he's there.)"

Gwen Grayson might be on to something.

"And you two better be on your guards." Bruce said.

For Terry/Batman didn't think if Bane was still himself to be all muscle-like many years later today to not know of his appearance just yet.

"Come on; he must be a zillion years old! What trouble could an old geezer...?" he stops for Bruce to be silence. "Never mind."

Both Batwoman and Batman sneak onto Bane's estate and ties up his attendant, Jackson Chappell.

"Hi, can we come in to play?" Batwoman appears in front of Chappell.

"Where's Bane?" Batman demands to know.

So he takes them to Bane.

"In there."

They find Bane, whose physique has wasted away to nothing, and is now so weak that he can barely move and needs a respirator to breathe.

"(Oh, no...)" shock Gwen.

"Ew!" gross Batwoman out. "He looks like a dying mutant grasshopper. Sick man!"

Looks like Bane wasn't behind this after all, which was good. But still, he looks like a big mess.

"What happened to him?" Batman asks Chappell.

"Too many years on Venom. That's what the stuff will do to you." Chappell says it is the result of too many years on Venom.

Batman and Batwoman leave, baffled as to who is supplying the Venom.

"A dead end I see." said Bruce.

"Tell us something we don't already know!" Batwoman added.

"Then if Bane's not behind this mess, who is?" questioned Terry/Batman.

No kidding, who could be behind all of this. Back at the school, Mason and his partners continue to do poorly in their games and complain that they can't even get through practice without slappers, since Batman took their stash. Fortunately for them, one of them has stolen a cash card, which Mason takes to the next drop off.

"Now..." Gwen transforms. "Burning passion! Batwoman!"

The female Dark Knight makes the first move.

"Sorry, the deal's off!" Batwoman appears to brighten things up with her fire powers.

However, both Batwoman and Batman are watching and interrupts the delivery.

"Not this time, Mason." he said.

"Batman! Batwoman!" surprised Mason.

The car speeds away but Batman puts a tracer on it.

"(You did it, Batman.)"

Mason is so pathetically needy that he tries to run after the car, and is easily apprehended.

"Just say no to drugs, kids." Batwoman ties Mason up. "And where you're going, Mason, you should've stayed away for your safety. But no...!"

Later, Batwoman and Batman follow the car to the supplier's hide out, and finds a secret slapper factory.

"(A place to make more of those slapper drugs...Hey, Terry. Uncle Bruce. I've been thinking. The patches I have for us and Megan to look up on. She said something having the same DNA from Bane, to have the doctor skills to make it happen, while also be making money. A type of cash to own your own private island. With lots of guards.)"

Gwen was on to something again.

"You mean...?" Terry/Batman was catching on.

"I think Gweny knows who could behind this type of mess...The man we meant with the weak Bane from earlier, remember?" said Batwoman.

Now they know who it was, the master mind behind it all.

"Should've known." said Bruce. "Good thinking, Gwen."

The car opens and the 'boss' of the operation steps out: Chappell. Called it! Guess Gwen was on to something to her own work, huh? Cool.

"Someone said our names?" Batman sees that Gwen was right. "You...! I should've known."

"Oh!" Batwoman shouts. "Gweny, you were right once again, girlfriend!"

It turns out that Bane entrusted the formula to Chappell after he became too weak to make it himself; his years of Venom use left Bane dependent on it just to keep himself alive.

"(Chappell! You should've known that those things can kill a person and kids the most, you mess up Mason very badly! How could you?)" Gwen was upset about all of this.

"How'd you con the formula out of Bane?" Batman questions Chappell.

"In the end, he needed Venom just to keep going. It got so bad he couldn't even make it himself. He had to trust someone."

He distract the blood out of Bane's system to get some hand made for himself.

"And now you're cashing in by selling poison to kids?" ask Batman.

"And for Mason, I almost felt sorry for him." said Batwoman. "Almost...!"

"That's right." Chappell bares his torso and applies four slappers, becoming hugely strong.

"(Be careful! He's ten times stronger now!)"

Batman and Batwoman fight back, but Chappell's raw strength proves too great even for Batman's enhanced capabilities. Even can withstand Batwoman's fire to run into and fights back to try to break her spine with his muscles to lift her in the air.

"Hey!" she couldn't use her fire to break free. "Put me down!"

"If you say so..."

Trying to break her, Batwoman gets out her dagger swords from her arms of the suit to stab Chappell a little to save herself in the nick a time.

"(We can't stop him...)" worrying Gwen to soon come up with a plan to have a few things she pick up. "(Batman, turn on the machine! Do it!)"

However, during the fight, Batman manages to throw him onto the slapper machine, and Gwen/Batwoman jumps over Chappell to throw more slappers to start covering his whole body with them.

"Please work...Say when!"

He screams as the drug takes effect, but is now freakishly large and strong, and nearly insane with rage. Batwoman wanted to him her partner out, but he tells her to stay back on this part.

"Stay back!" he said. "I think I can slow Mr. Steroids down from here. Trust me!"

And so, they wait and see what happens next.

"(Just be careful, Batman, we did all that we could do.)" Gwen prays for hope.

But Batman triggers a small explosion that sprays chemicals in his enemy's eyes, blinding him. As Chappell swings wildly around, he causes a large explosion that incapacitates him.

"Terry? Gwen?" Bruce checks on them.

Thanks to Batwoman's fire power, they were unharmed.

"We're okay!"

"(What she said.)" said Gwen. "(Looks like you did it, Terry.)"

"Tell me about it."

Looking around the room to see Chappell on what his condition was right now.

"And Bane's friend?" Bruce asks them.

As the smoke clears, Batman and Batwoman look closer and sees that, due to the overdose, Chappell's mind has left him.

"The Venom did him in badly." said Batman. "We better call the hospital."

"And the cops too." Batwoman added. "Something tells me that this man's mind won't be recovering after overdose from the Venom for a very long time like Bane is. Again, drugs can do bad things to your mind and body."

Terry returns home late, but with Bruce accompanying him. Bruce shows Mary test results from a clinic, proving that Terry hasn't been doing slappers and that he was actually telling the truth, much to her relief. Having invited the billionaire in for a drink, a newscast then shows that Mason and his friends have been arrested and Coach Creagar has been put on suspension from teaching. Bruce explains to Mary that Creagar was blinded by his desire to win, and so looked the other way. They find that Terry has fallen asleep while sitting on the couch in front of their guest, but Bruce assures her that it's well-earned and takes his leave.


	9. Spellbound

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 9 – Spellbound

Chelsea returns home from a date with her boyfriend, Rick. When he asks if she's all right walking alone the last few feet to her door, she says nothing ever happens around their block. Before reaching home, Chelsea notices a strange wind picking up and is approached by a man dressed in a strange costume. He tells her not to be afraid and shows her a large eye in his hand, inviting her to an 'adventure'. Chelsea stares into the eye and suddenly finds herself wandering through a jungle. She enters an ancient temple and picks up a small idol in the center. She then follows the strange man to a pool of lava and drops the statue down. In reality, she has entered her home, picked up a statue from her father's study, and dropped it off the riverbank outside her door. When her father confronts her, she snaps out of it and expresses confusion. Neither of them notice the man fly away with the statue in hand. Who was he...? For Gwen to be walking back home from food shopping for Bruce, she sees the man to make a run for it to have some fire sparks on the ground for the strange person in to suit to see.

"(A person in a weird tight outfit taking off with a statue?)" Gwen questions herself. "(And wasn't that Chelsea just a few seconds ago? She wasn't feeling like herself.)"

The next day, Terry talks to his friend Jared and notices Commissioner Barbara Gordon walk by. He follows her and eavesdrops on a conversation between her and Ira Billings, the school psychologist. Gwen catches up to Terry to have a word with him after bumping into Jared.

"Excuse me, Gwen." he was being a gentlemen to her.

"Sorry, Jared." she said back. "Terry, hey. You just seen a lot of cops coming by just now? It looks like Uncle's Bruce's friend Commissioner Barbara Gordon is talking to someone, and about Chelsea doing something bad, its not like her."

Even her inner self says this...

"(Maybe she has a boyfriend getting trouble life time or something.)"

Terry sees where Gwen was getting at.

"And you told me you saw someone with Chelsea?" Terry asks Gwen.

"Yes I did. And I ran back home to Uncle Bruce just in case." she said.

Yep, those two might be on to something big. For Billings says that, in his expert opinion, Chelsea commits acts like this to get attention, and her 'mystery man' story is likely made-up as an excuse. Barbara accepts this explanation and leaves.

"I guess she made the whole thing up." said Barbara. "Thank you for your time Mr. Billings."

"And I'm sorry for the trouble."

An odd man to start working at Terry and Gwen's high school huh? But he does help other kids like Chelsea. But still, something was off about her dropping the statue to be under an illusion spell of some kind.

"Attention problems?" question Terry. "That's weird. I know Dana's friend and she would never do something to upset her parents by stealing."

"All I know is she has guy troubles, but she's very good in school..."

Just then, Billings sees Gwen to be feeling down to be the next patient to have cured. Gwen Grayson? Really?

"Why hello, Ms. Grayson. I notice you've been down the upset lately." he said. "Why is that? If you don't mind me asking you."

"Huh?" Gwen was lost. "Me? Oh, no. Sir, this is what I am all day. I'm fine with the people I know-!"

"Please, call me Billings." he smiles to shake hands with Gwen. "I can't help but have someone to talk to you about your problems, I can help. I'm a professional psychologist to help the teenagers on hard times or not feeling like themselves. Allow me to hear you out."

Feeling odd for Gwen to do and Terry to not allow it.

"Mr. Billings, I got Gwen covered. But thanks."

"It'll be one part only, I promise." he said to taking Gwen's hand. "If you don't like it, then it'll be the one time you'll have it. If it does work, then you can come back to talk to me anytime. It'll be fine, Gwen, I keep lots of secrets from others."

"Gwen." Terry couldn't get her out of it.

And so she follows Billings to his office to have a quick section to try it out. Feeling shy, she tries to keep her cool for Gwen to know that she'll try it once to see how it goes.

"Ah...Terry, it'll be fine. I'll think of happy things and come right back later, this man is a psychologist person, maybe he can ease my stress." she said. "I'll catch up with you later."

"That's right, Gwen, I'm right here to hear whatever's on your mind."

Well, Gwen might be a while with Billings to keep things a bit...personal to hide her fire powers and her being Batwoman was all she had to do. For her and Terry were still on the case. For Terry is suspicious 'like Gwen was too', but even Bruce doesn't see anything wrong, believing that it's just Chelsea's personal problems. Really, Bruce?

"Guess you're the expert on troubled kids." Terry said to him. "You collect them, right?"

"And why isn't Gwen with you?" Bruce asks Terry.

"She should've been back by now...I hope she's okay."

Night comes and the mysterious man picks off another victim, Mr. Deakins, an auction house manager. Mr. Deakins is hit by the power of the eye and soon after he knocks one of the security guards unconscious and locks himself inside. As the police arrive, and tend to the guard, Deakins drags a valuable dress (once belonging to Princess Audrey) up to the roof. In his mind, he's in the middle of a jungle war, dragging a wounded comrade to safety while trying to evade the enemy. On the roof, the mystery man is waiting, where Deakins sees his vehicle as a rescue helicopter.

"You're going to be fine, Lewy." said Deakins.

Soon, only Batman arrives at the scene to have a good look at he mysterious person in the tight suit.

"Who the heck are you?" Batman asked.

He loads the dress onto the craft. Batman arrives but Mr. Deakins sees him as an enemy soldier and attacks him, telling the 'helicopter' to run for it.

"Here!" the man hands Mr. Deakins a gun to use.

"I'll hold off the enemy, you two get out of here!"

Lots of gun firing to be going on. After a brief fight, Batman manages to knock Mr. Deakins into the wall, thereby snapping him out of his delusion. All was fine, until some powerful fire try to stop Batman to save the man's life from the blast. What?! It looked familiar to have another person working for the mysterious man to have that type of powers to be a girl.

"What the-?!" Terry/Batman sees the woman getting away. "Batwoman, where are you? Two people strike again. I need help." he gets no answers. "Batwoman?"

Mr. Deakins also expresses confusion.

"What just happened...?"

"You tell me. Who were two to people in the weirdo suits?" Batman asks Mr. Deakins.

For the man doesn't remember anything at all but see a flash of light and then come to afterwards.

"I...I don't know..." he answers back.

Now that there have been two sightings of the same villain and another one who works with the man to be unknown, whom the media dub 'Spellbinder', the police re-open the case and Bruce realizes that he was wrong.

"Either way, I'll get Megan on this case." Bruce checks on Gwen. "Are you doing well?"

She hasn't been herself for her to look so tired.

"Sorry, been working hard, I know." she answers. "I've been trying to find this Spellbinder person and the doctor's trying to help me out. So I've been kind of busy...Forgive me."

Terry announces that he has a personal gathering to attend.

"Its fine, Gwen, just get dress for something to wear." he said. "The dress Megan got for you, wear it. I don't want to go alone. Wedding parties are fun afterwards."

And she goes to do that.

"And I sure hope from talking to Billings, I can let go of my worries."

As Gwen goes to change, for her to see someone to talk to gets Bruce's attentions.

"Seeing a doctor?" he was confused. "Terry, make sure Gwen's doing well."

"I'll try..." Terry notice a 'D.G.' tag names letters from first to last was on the suit he was wearing. "Who's D.G.?"

Bruce stood there in silence.

"Dick Grayson, who's Gwen biological father from the human clone making and another of her problems."

Now he tells him...Borrowing some formal wear from the mansion, Terry and Gwen 'to look nice in a pink dress with some hair ups, gloves, and shoes to look cute in them' go to the wedding of Jared's mother, admiring the large jewels she's wearing. However, as the bride walks down the stairs, a magic eye concealed in a video camera hits her and she suddenly sees herself in a nest of gigantic insects.

"Its the man-!" Gwen then stops talking to feel a bit different.

As the bride runs in terror and Terry sees Gwen was slowly walking away like she was in a trans of some kind.

"Its happening again." he stops to see Gwen wasn't herself. "Gwen? Hey, Gwen? Where are you going? The Spellbinder's getting away! Gwen!"

Something was wrong with her...Catching a glimpse of Spellbinder hiding in the crowd, Terry runs down to his motorcycle and pulls out the Batsuit. Also, Gwen wears a mask on her eyes to be joining with Spellbinder. What the heck?!

"Yes, Gwen, come to me." he chants something to make her not be herself to controlling her movements. "I have a task for you to let out your powers. I'll help you. Now hear my voice and continue to walk with me, that's it."

Terry sees from Gwen was under Spellbinder's control somehow.

"This is bad...He has Gwen!" Terry calls up Bruce to let him know what was going on. "Wayne, you alive?"

"Very funny." he said. "What's happening?"

"Guess who crash the party and has control of Gwen?"

Bruce couldn't believe what he was seeing from the computer screen.

"Gwen?!" he was shock. "Terry, try to get her out of from whatever's control her!" Bruce didn't sound too happy to have him worried.

"I'm on it." said Terry/Batman. "And I will save Gwen."

In terror, Jared's mother jumps off the hotel balcony. Batman grabs her, but she sees him as an insect too and tries to escape him. Eventually, she sees even her jewelry as insects and tears them off, before falling onto the train tracks in the path of an oncoming train. Batman manages to save her but cannot stop Spellbinder from stealing the jewels. From Gwen attacking him from burns to holding him down...Spellbinder makes his move on Batman next.

"Good, Gwen, now hold him still..." Spellbinder, however, isn't gone, and Batman takes off in pursuit. As he catches up to him, Spellbinder turns and zaps him with his magic eye.

Terry sees himself on the top of a tall tropical waterfall and takes a high dive toward the pool below. In truth, he is falling towards the street.

"McGinnis! Wake up!"

Fortunately, Bruce manages to snap him out of it before he hits the ground, though his escape is narrow and the suit is damaged in the process. Ouch...! For him to see Gwen gets taken away, Spellbinder has her to use for his heist and still under his spell.

"Gwen!" Terry/Batman was too hurt to do anything. "Give her back! Gwen!"

"Terry, you're back at least. And we will save Gwen, Megan has a tracking device to keep her eyes on her whereabouts on whoever's behind it."

And Bruce was right. As Terry was getting patch up to watch out for Spellbinder's next move and try to find a way to save Gwen from the madman's powers – using his powers to make things look, feel, sound, and smell real too. For Megan, she talks to the two boys from the Bat-Computer to tell them who Spellbinder might be; because as Gwen was having her problems to tell Dr. Billings about it, she did leave her some clues before falling under a spell of some kind.

"Bruce. Terry. I know what's causing Gwen to work for Spellbinder. Along with Jared's mother, Dana's friend, and the man with the fashion clothes." she sends them the information. "Ira Billings is a new psychologist working at Hamilton Hill High School. Feeling under-appreciated — and more importantly, underpaid — Billings decided to use his talents to get back at the very people he claimed had spurned him: the rich. Under the guise of his position, he probed the minds of wealthy students, and in turn — via mind control — used them to abscond with valuables from their own homes. Not only is he good, but he's rich to make anything happen, that might be our unlikely suspect to the case for Barbara to leave some clues. And with that, he might have Gwen somewhere safe to keep captive. Terry, this is where you come in. Act like a trouble person to talk to Billings to get something out of the man. And don't worry, if you go under his spell again but Bruce and I will have your backs."

She still has the skills. The next day, Billings expresses concern for Terry's mental health, given the recent loss of his father and the new stress caused by his job. He invites Terry to tell him about his experiences working for Bruce. Terry is a little reluctant but finally caves in. I guess the plan's working so far...That night, Bruce hears an intruder alarm sounding. Megan was staying over the night with her husband to help him out.

"Megan?"

"Bruce, come on! We got trouble." she said.

They go upstairs and finds Terry stealing valuables from his home. Terry sees himself as being a contestant on a shopping spree game show and even attacks Bruce when he tries to stop him.

"Terry, snap out of it!" he said.

Bruce, however, snaps Terry out of it to make him trip over his cane and Megan spraying Terry with something to make him come back to reality.

"Wake up!" said Megan. "Daydreaming's over."

In the Batcave, Bruce reveals Spellbinder's true identity: Billings. All of the victims either had therapy with him, or had children who did, which is how Billings 'cased' their houses.

"So he's the one who's also using Gwen, Billing found out about her powers...!" this angers Terry.

He does not suspect Terry's secret identity, but only used him to get access to Wayne Manor — which means that at that moment Spellbinder is waiting outside for him.

"And he's waiting for the good to be brought to him right now." said Bruce. "We have to save Gwen."

And so was the mind controlled Gwen. And lucky for Billings who's Spellbinder, he also doesn't know of her as Batwoman, just her powers. And there might be a way to bring Gwen back to help Terry as Batman to stop Spellbinder.

"Okay, I know how to set Gwen free..." she tells Terry. "Terry, answer me this. Do you like Gwen?"

"I wouldn't I?" he asked.

"I mean, do you like her more than a friend? As in love?"

Once Megan said that part to Terry, he started to blush.

"Huh?! What about it?!" he was freaking out.

"Well, Gwen's emotions can control her fire powers for her bracelet does so. Here's the thing, she comes around to feel so embarrassed to be true to have her face turn red. Just say these words to her, because I know you mean well to this girl." she whispers something to Terry to say to Gwen.

Once Megan did, Terry freaks out a lot more.

"Wait...What!?"

"Just go!" Megan pushes Terry out to get his Batman suit set to go and the trap to be set. "It'll work, trust me!"

And here we go...! I guess. Terry confronts Spellbinder as Batman, but is hit by the magic eye.

"Gwen! Snap out of it!"

No such luck for Terry/Batman to bring Gwen back to reality to attack him since Spellbinder hits his enemy with his powers right on the dot.

"Forget it, Gwen's mine." he said. "Ever since I found out about her fire abilities, she's become useful for me to use to get the goods and I'm not losing this one for my heist to fail like this. And not even beaten by you either. Gwen, protect me!"

And she does for Batman has to keep trying harder to not hurt Gwen at all.

"It's over, Billings! I know who you are!" said Batman. "And using Gwen like this, I'll never forgive you!"

"Well, I'm glad that makes you feel superior, but you haven't caught me yet."

Things don't seem to alter, and he claims that he's okay but soon sees a pack of zombies crawl out of the ground and they attack. As the illusory zombies gang up on Batman, Spellbinder explains his motives for the crimes: Having gotten poor compensation for treating many of the students with connections to wealthy families, he decided to get what he believed he was entitled to and strike back at the rich, with Spellbinder also using the illusions to sneak attack Batman.

"He's under his spell again!" said Bruce. "Terry!"

So why was Billings as Spellbinder was doing all of this you may asked?

"For years, I fought the demons in the heads of those ungrateful little snots! While their coddling parents paid their garbage men more than me! Now I'm taking what I've earned! All but Gwen shall be helpful to have to help me cure her. How beautiful is that?" said Spellbinder to touching Gwen's face. "I could fall for someone like you."

Bruce watches through the suit's video link, but can see nothing, meaning the zombies are illusions. Spellbinder and Gwen's attacks Terry, practically invisible through the illusions. However, Bruce manages to help him evade the attacks.

"You got him!"

"And so have I!" Megan appears to use her baton to whack Spellbinder and Gwen away from each other to use her ice spray next. "Sorry about this, Gwen."

Using it to make Gwen's body feel weak from the cold to go down allowing Terry/Batman to break the ice to grab hold of her to freeing her from the spell for good.

"(Here's my chance!)" he does to whispers the words into Gwen's ears. "Come back to me. Please, Gwen!" Terry/Batman says it. "I love you."

From those words and the cold feeling, Gwen comes around again to see what's been happening.

"What...?" she was now free from Spellbinder's spell. "Batman? Megan?"

Her inner thoughts finally speak up again.

"(About time, Gweny, hurry up and let me take over to get some pay back!)"

She understands that Billings was Spellbinder to be using her powers to hurt others to make Gwen upset.

"Right, he'll pay for this...! Burning passion! Batwoman!" she transforms.

"We did it, Bruce." Megan tells her husband the good news.

For him and her to be happy to see and hear Gwen was back to normal. And so was Terry/Batman to make him feel silly after saying those words. I think he really meant it though. The images eventually fade and Batman sees Spellbinder standing just in front of a cliff. He runs with Batwoman joining in at long last after him but Bruce warns Terry and Gwen that it's an illusion.

"Stop, now!" he tells the two.

Terry freezes, stopping just short of where the real cliff is for Gwen/Batwoman to help out her partner on that one.

"Oh, we will, Bruce-Old-Boy." she said to be laughing. "After treating poor Gwen as your slave, Spellbinder, you had me worried about my real self to completely lose it, but she didn't thanks to Terry's love. And now...its pay back time with a burning desires of revenge." Batwoman means it with flames bursting in anger to help Gwen ease the pain. "She doesn't need quacks like you, I can hep out her stress!"

Spellbinder attacks from behind, but falls off the cliff himself after Batman evades the attack and captures him once Batwoman burns his suit to die out for no more casting illusions spells anymore.

"You're done for." said Batman.

"(Thanks for saving me, you guys.)" said Gwen. "(I didn't know what I was thinking for him to put a spell on me so easily.)"

She was not to blame for this at all, it was Billings/Spellbinder's fault.

"Its fine." Megan pulls the man up to handcuff him next. "He's to blame, not you."

"I was so close..."

"Yeah, and you can help out other bad people in prison, weirdo." she said. "No more people under your control anymore."

You said it, Megan. With the trouble ended, Bruce calls up Barbara and has her and Megan take Billings away, with Terry explaining how they caught him, while keeping the fact that he did it as Batman a secret.

"So, you're Bruce's two new helpers." Barbara said to seeing them. "Terry McGinnis after losing your father, I'm sorry for you loss. "And Gwen Grayson, who has something from her looks to find your mother, right?"

"Father I have found to write letters to him, and my Mother I have to look for next. Whoever she is..."

"I see..." she said and then leaves next. "You two stay out of trouble.

Once she leaves, Megan calls this a case closed.

"We got to be careful from people like Spellbinder to not be under his spells again." Megan had an idea in mind. "I should do something about it."

Good thinking there. Barbara questions Terry and Gwen and though she doesn't let on, she knows his secret. Oh, we already know...And for Gwen to feel something familiar about Barbara.

"(Gweny, what's on your mind?)" ask her inner self.

"I don't know...When I was under Spellbinder's spell, I thought I was with my Mom. To find my Dad next to do bad things really, I feel awful. Forgive me, Terry. Uncle Bruce. Megan. I know it wasn't real to be used afterwards to trust in someone who hurts others and commits horrible crimes. It all felt so real to then learn that I'll be able to see my Father one day, and...from seeing this Commissioner Barbara Gordon in person, she reminds me of Mother for some reason."

Another lead besides Dick Grayson to be her biological father to Gwen for a half human and cloning? Who knows...For both Megan and Bruce won't give up on the search for her.

"Megan and I will try to find more answers for you, Gwen, trust us." he said. "And if there's anything you need, talk to her or me. You're not to blame to be used from someone like Billings, but you know what not to do next time."

Bruce hugs Gwen to be happy having her back.

"Thank you, Uncle Bruce, I will." Gwen then goes up to Terry to talk him next. "And you too, Terry, you saved me. From saying those things for my heart to race."

I hope he meant it!

"Oh, that! Yeah, I'm glad that worked. Thank Megan, she told me..." Terry was blushing. "It was the only way to free you, Gwen, you had me scared! All of us!" he then goes up to hug Gwen next. "I'm just glad you're back to your normal self. If you turned against, I don't know what I'll do without you. I think...maybe I am falling for you.."

Gwen heard that part loud and clear for Gwen to be blushing so much.

"Oh, Terry...I didn't think you would like me a lot more...and this love, what is it? I feel so embarrassed!"

She'll be fine to make Terry smile for him and Gwen to laugh together to have a moment. A nice scene to call this night off after fixing up everything now.

"You are cute when you laugh, that's the Gwen we all know and love." he said.

"Yes, for now on...Only the people I can trust I will talk about my problems and see my parents one day." she said to Terry. "I'll be ready for it."

And she will, the lesson in this chapter/episode is this...A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are medical doctors, unlike psychologists, and must evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments, or strictly psychiatric. As part of the clinical assessment process, psychiatrists may employ a mental status examination; a physical examination; brain imaging such as a computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or positron emission tomography (PET) scan; and blood testing. Psychiatrists prescribe medicine, and may also use psychotherapy, although the vast majority do medical management and refer to a psychologist or other specialized therapist for weekly to bi-monthly psychotherapy.


	10. Disappearing Inque

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 10 – Disappearing Inque

Out at Gotham Cryogenics, a disgruntled employee, Aaron Herbst, walks in on Inque, trapped in a block of ice. He starts talking to Inque about his problems, including that he's been turned down for a raise, but then gets a call that his boss wants to see him. Just for luck, he kisses the ice holding Inque. However, his boss tells him that cameras have been monitoring his 'conversations' with Inque, and he's being fired. In revenge, Aaron cuts off the power to Inque's cell, allowing the ice to melt and freeing her. Oh, now he's done it. He's in love with this criminal! Being shown around the displays in the Batcave, Terry and Gwen were admiring an exosuit on display next to the costumes, and asks about it.

"Look at this one, Terry. Amazing..." Gwen likes it. "Wow, Uncle Bruce, who knew you and Megan made these things a while back."

Then Terry goes up to a armor-like Batman suit.

"What does this one do?" he touches it to make it move to trying to grab Terry and missed.

Bruce says he built it when he first started losing his strength and endurance to old age—the suit greatly increases both, but he soon realized that using it put too great a strain on his heart.

"Careful." said Bruce. "Its an exosuit. To move how you do it ten times stronger. For me to you use over the years as I gotten older, it strain my heart."

So that's why, it's too powerful to use. But what if Gwen or Terry used it?

"Sorry to hear, Uncle Bruce. It must've been hard."

"A lot of things you showed me in the last few months to be touring..." said Terry to tell Bruce this next part. "Someday you're going to tell me the real reason why you stopped being Batman."

"(When the time comes, Terry, be patient. Look at Gweny here, she is with her family like a good girl.)" said Gwen's inner self.

She's right, for all of the distraction's been hard to have a grand tour at the Batcave to still have a look around from time to time.

"We get it...Terry, please understand that we will see more in here." soon they hear an emergency crime alarm. "As soon as we stop other bad guys."

An alarm goes off alerting both men to Inque's escape, and a news report shows that she is holding employees at the cryogenics plant hostage.

"Inque..." said Bruce.

"(Not her again!)"

"The last time we fought against her, Terry..." Gwen remembers Inque's weakness. "She hates water and ice. And some to slow down from my fire if its really hot."

Remembering their last confrontation, both Gwen and Terry suit up and takes along Mr. Freeze's cold gun.

"Good thinking, Gwen." he said.

"Just in case." and Bruce.

As Gwen transforms to get suited up herself...

"Right...Burning Passion! Batwoman!"

...They were all set to move out. As Inque releases the hostages but Batman and Batwoman notice that one of the officers is wearing a black coat.

"Its on the officer's body. Inque's disguising herself as a heavy black coat!" Batwoman points out. "Let's get her, Batman...She's going down this time!"

Deducing that this coat is actually Inque for those to attack at her.

"I'm back." she said. "Do you two miss me? How sweet."

However, the police start to fire on Batwoman, Inque, and Batman.

"(Wait, stop! You got the wrong idea!)" Gwen couldn't do anything to stop them.

And what's worse, Inque manages to destroy Mr. Freeze's gun, to try hurting Batwoman a lot to make her get mad, and then she escapes.

"Batwoman, we can still find her if we follow the other drains to lead to the next area and-!" Terry/Batman stop to see Batwoman to look very mad. "Ah, Batwoman...?"

She uses some fire to punch and kick the streets grounds a lot in rage.

"That son of a...! When I get my hands on Inque for making me look like a fool and have the police barely killing us, she's good as play-doh dead!" she flies on to the next area.

"(Sorry, Batman, she rarely does this when a villain messes with my inner self badly to take the anger on her.)"

Good thing Gwen told Terry/Batman to follow the trail to stop Inque for good.

"Thanks for the heads up." he said.

It'll get worse since Inque knows about the Batcave entrance, to be ready for her return...In his apartment, Aaron watches a newscast about Inque's escape and chuckles. Inque also arrives, and as they talk, Aaron is surprised to learn that she's been able to see and hear him during her imprisonment. Aaron is initially embarrassed about going on and on about his problems, but Inque says she won't tell anyone if he helps her. Aaron eagerly says he'll do anything for her.

"Maybe you'd like to wash up, then?" Aaron offers to Inque.

Ah, yeah...she hates water a lot.

"No thanks."

"You know, you were in that storm drain for a pretty long time and…"

Inque tries to be clear with Aaron to get through his head about her ice and water to not mix so well.

"I don't like water, OK!?" she said.

Meanwhile, as Terry reinforces the Batcave's stone superstructure with Plasti Steel, Bruce analyzes a sample of Inque's bio-residue and discovers that her human DNA has been damaged to the point of preventing her assuming of human form, probably from being frozen, and that this was the reason she posed as a black overcoat in her escape earlier.

"So either way...we need to not only seal this place up when Inque comes back, but to find a way to stop her." said Gwen. "And enough to get the rage out before..." she practices firing a lot of her fire powers. "I just hope she doesn't come back to have all three of us killed."

"We'll find a way to solve this somehow." Terry added. "Gwen, when you're done, double check on the doors for me."

She tries to finish to do so for Terry's sake.

"Okay."

"(Hold it!)" Gwen's inner self speaks up next. "(It will work, right? The whole door steal thing?)"

"She can huff and puff all she wants but she's not going to blow this place down." said Terry.

Nice joke there...

"(Terry! This isn't the Three Little Pigs!)"

From that and Bruce telling Terry and Gwen about Inque was unable to go back to her human form was because she was frozen up for quite sometime 'and for Megan to give out some information'.

"Back at the cryogenics place, weren't you wondering why Inque didn't morph into her human form and just walk out with the other workers?" Bruce questions Terry.

"That would make perfect sense." said Gwen.

Gwen knew, but a little for Terry to know from some of it.

"Uh, yeah! ...Sort of..." he makes it up.

As Terry realizes that there wouldn't be many doctors or labs available that could provide what she needs, Bruce gives him a list of such places, a special electrified batarang in lieu of the loss of the freeze gun and sends him and Gwen/Batwoman out.

"(I new weapon of electrical Batarang.)" surprised inner Gwen. "(Due tell...)"

A new weapon for the two, and they were ready to stop Inque this time. That night, Inque and Aaron break into a chemical lab and steal the chemicals she needs. Before they can leave, Aaron asks for his reward: to be mutated into a shape-shifter like her. Inque agrees, but before she can make good on her promise, Batman and Batwoman arrive. Inque attacks them and manages to dodge their special batarangs, leaving Batman with nothing left.

"How did I miss?"

"Too slow, I guess." Inque answers back to Batman and attacks him.

Batwoman 'now made to get some pay back' continues to fights with Inque but she easily gains the upper hand.

"Oh, right. I almost forgotten about you." Inque dodges Batwoman's fire attacks. "This again? Its nothing."

Batwoman won't be backing down to the likes of her enemy.

"(She's fast!)"

"Not as fast than I am in heat of rage!" she punches and kicks really hard. "Hold still, you witch!"

With Inque tying up Batwoman, to move over to try drowning Batman again.

"No, you hold still and I'll kill Batman if you try anything funny. How does that sound?"

Not this irty trick again!

"(Batman! Fight back!)" said the worried Gwen. "(Do something!)"

However, after a failed attempt to drown him in her body, Inque is forced to release Batman when he activates his thrusts and Batwoman to use one spark to step her off to explode and saving her partner's life, breaking free long enough to grab the electric batarang.

"Man, that felt good..." said Batwoman. "Hey, Inque, you just got burned."

Inque is downed, but Aaron beats Batman and knocks him out with an industrial haptic feedback robotic arm to try Batwoman and saves Inque.

"Stay away from her!" he said.

"(What are you doing?)" asked Gwen. "(Can't you see she's only using you get what she wants?)"

Inque wants Batman and Batwoman dead, but decides to wait until she can get 'the old one too'. Gwen overhears this to try to melt the metal arm to break free and helps out Terry/Batman next to go after Inque to save Bruce.

"Crap!" angered Batwoman. "We have to warn Bruce about this witch and sucker of the dangers he's in."

However, Megan arrives to help out Batman for him and Gwen/Batwoman to get back to the Batcave in time, or something even better.

"Don't worry, I called up Bruce, he wants to come." she said. "Now help me get Terry back up, Gwen."

Good to know to have more backup by Terry and Gwen's side. And for Batwoman to do what she must to help Gwen let out her stress, was all fine by them. Looks like a rescue mission must be done.

"We'll help you, Megan, anything to get back at Inque somehow."

Inque and Aaron go to an abandoned sporting arena and Inque drinks the mutagen, healing herself. Meanwhile, restrained to a post of the center ring with chain, Batman has contacted Bruce and reveals information of where he has been taken. They continue to talk until Batman stops, causing Bruce to become worried. Inque has approached Batman and hears Bruce calling out to him through the communicator, discovering it's the old man from before Inque demands Batman to reveal their location, but he refuses to speak.

"No matter, you show up or Batman dies." she said. "As for Batwoman, she's next on my list. She's can run in this place, but she can't run away from me."

Seeing that Batman refuses to talk, Inque instead reveals to Bruce they are at the Gotham Hills Arena and warns him to come alone or she threatens to kill Batman. As Gwen/Batwoman and Megan arrives to spy on them until it was the right time to save Terry/Batman's life.

"Now he'll show up soon." said Megan.

Wen hopes to save her friend in time and her uncle would be unharmed in this type of mess.

"(Uncle Bruce, please be careful. And Terry, we'll get you out of here. I promise.)" she said.

Batman warns Bruce not to come, trying to reveal she would kill them, until he is prevented from revealing anymore information by Inque who forcibly kisses him. Leaving the other girls to be grossed out.

"Ah, yuck!" said Batwoman.

After the transmission she wonders who the old man is but drops the subject as she will soon find out and leaves. Aaron follows her once again demands his reward, and Inque injects him with the mutagen. Seeing the horrors next for Megan, Gwen, and her other half were too late to save Aaron to seal his own fate. Yep, I knew this would happen.

"(Megan, is he...)" Gwen was horrified to watch. "(That's horrible!)"

"Any man to fall for someone like her, would meet their end the painful way." she said. "And alas, he did."

Bruce arrives at the Arena wearing a trench coat that seems unusually bulky on him, along with a hat, scarf, and sunglasses to conceal his face. As he walks through, he sees Aaron, who is now a shapeless, unstable blob: Aaron mumbles that Inque only gave him half the treatment—robbing him of his cohesion, but leaving him unable to shape-shift like her. There is nothing Bruce can do for him. Looking past him, Bruce sees what looks like Terry, free, and comes closer. Only to hear Batwoman's voice.

"You got away?" Bruce asks him.

"Old man, get away! Its a trap!" she said.

However, this Batman is actually Inque in disguise.

"He didn't get away...and neither will you."

As Terry watches, Inque snares Bruce with her arm, then begins twisting it to slowly crush him to death. Soon, Megan arrives to electrocute Inque long enough to activate something for her husband.

"Don't you dare touch my husband!" angered Megan.

"Old couples in love? How sweet." she said. "What are you going to do, bored me with words?"

She came prepare for Bruce to be smirking.

"Not even close. (Do it, Bruce.)"

Then, armor plates snap shut over Bruce's body, and he bursts out of the trench coat. Alright! Terry is horrified to see that Bruce has donned the exosuit to fight Inque, despite the risk to his heart. In the armor, Bruce manages to send Inque flying into the far wall, but she attacks with a vengeance and throws him to the ground. And then Batwoman jumps in.

"Ever heard of respecting your elders?!" she uses her fire to stop Inque.

But going through it to have both Megan and Batwoman all tied up like a type of spider's web of her goop.

"And you ever heard of shutting up, lady?" Inque said back.

As she advances, preparing to kill Bruce, Aaron crawls between them, moaning...

"You promised...you promised!"

And she sneers...

"Loser!"

And Inque tries to swat him aside, but Aaron with Batwoman's help to use Megan's baton to heat things up a little.

"Hey, Inque, I got a little love poem for the two of you..." she says it to break free from the web goop. "Roses are red, violence or blue, slime and goop for this dude, and more coming on to you!"

They soon enraged that he gave up everything for nothing, wraps his shapeless body around her. As she struggles to get free, she accidentally knocks down the center ring, allowing Batman to free himself and Batwoman helping him out with the rest.

"(Batman, please save him!)" Gwen beg of her friend.

"We both will." he said. "We won't let his life end up like this."

As she throws Aaron aside and advances on Bruce again, Terry throws a batarang at the glass ceiling and Batwoman's fire blast to having her fire up Batarangs due the rest, and smashing it and letting in the rain.

"Let it rain!" said Batwoman.

Inque begins to melt away. She lurches desperately towards the flask containing the remaining mutagen, but falls short and dissolves away into the drains. Megan makes a call to put a wanted poster for Inque in case she does come back for more.

"I got this, she won't be going anywhere else now in that condition she's in."

This made Batwoman happy to be dancing after a victory and another job well done.

"Ha! Yes, in your face, Inque!" she flies around the room. "I made it rain, made it rain, made it rain on that goop lady!"

With luck for Terry and Gwen check on Bruce's condition next...

"(Uncle Bruce?)" Gwen was worried.

For Bruce to pull his arm out of the grounds to having the helmet on...Bruce was okay.

"Oh, Bruce."

Both Megan and Bruce embrace with each other. A little heart attack he just had, but he'll live to take a bullet for Terry, Gwen, and Megan against Inque.

"Now do you believe me about why I retired?" Bruce asks Terry.

"Not entirely, but tonight, I'm glad you didn't stay retired." he said.

I think he knows about it so far, leaving Gwen to hug her step-uncle.

"We're just glad you're okay, Uncle Bruce."

"Sorry to worry you, Gwen." he said to seeing the drained out Inque in her defeated once again. "Poor subdivide fool she was."

And there was one good thing about this whole mess...

"And I manage to give her a piece of my mind!" said Batwoman.

"(I'm just glad you're okay, Terry.)" Gwen said to him.

Terry getting the goop gently out of Gwen's hair, they were both happy to be going out of that mess to winning afterwards.

"Same here." said Terry. "And for that Aaron person, I feel bad for not having the love for Inque to be used and turned into her, only a lot sadder." he then looks at Gwen. "(Not like how I feel about Gwen the most.)"

Another victory it was for Batman and Batwoman with some help. In the last scene, Aaron has been recovered and thanks to Inque's deciet is rendered an invalid. With no hard tissues, he has no substantial locomotion and is kept in a simplified glass enclosure with a blanket, and can only eat liquid foods fed to him through a funnel. Now he is the one trapped with an annoying and cheery attendant, who tells him about all her problems and is likewise unaware that she too is being monitored, to prevent her from going down the same path as Aaron.


	11. A Touch of Curaré

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 11 - A Touch of Curaré

Commissioner Gordon and her husband, D.A. Sam Young walk along in the park late at night.

"I heard the D.A.'s office is plea-bargaining the Densmore case. Do you know how hard my men worked to...?" Barbara said.

But her husband Sam Young just wants to spend time with his wife and not talk about work for today.

"Uh-uh-uh, no shop talk after hours. You want to discuss my shortcomings as a D.A., call my office and make an appointment, Commissioner." he then kisses his wife.

All was sweet, that's when a woman painted blue and wearing white rudely interrupts them. The woman attacks with daggers and a sword that is sharp enough to easily cut through a tree. Gordon defends herself and her husband, but the woman manages to deflect gunfire with her sword, and to slice through anything thrown at her. Batman and Batwoman appear none too soon, managing to save Sam, but the woman now attacks them next.

"(What type of person is she?)" questioned Gwen.

To Batwoman though, she wants to get the job done to save lives and stop the bad guys.

"Don't look at me, Gweny, I just see the danger to take action and then ask questions later."

From fire power from Batwoman to give it her all against the assassin to cut right through it and the light pole too as Batman was standing on there...That sword of hers was very sharp and deadly.

"I gotta get me one of those swords." he said.

"And I have to know how she does the wind cutting through fire power with it." Batwoman helps her partner out. "Just as soon as we stop this mummy-she-male first without getting cut into ribbons!"

The police soon arrive and start firing on three combatants until Barbara tells them to leave off Batman and Batwoman. In the confusion, the woman manages to escape. For Terry and Gwen have to get to the bottom of this mess right away.

"(Batman, I think we need to tell Uncle Bruce about this mess and see if Megan can help us out.)"

Later, they do just they. As both Gwen 'with her inner self' and Terry learn from Bruce that the woman is named Curaré, a member of the League of Assassins. Her scimitar has been laser-sharpened to an edge no thicker than a molecule.

"Tell us, Megan." Bruce asks Megan.

As she tells the three who Curare is...

"I'll be happy to. Curaré was a member of the Society of Assassins, and its best and deadliest killer.

Nobody remembers Curaré's real name, and nobody has seen her face. But everybody knows she's deadly, and possessed an unending knowledge of killer tactics. She was an excellent martial artist, and was designed to kill. She possessed a scimitar that has an edge no thicker than a molecule. It could cut through anything and deflect gunfire. Curare is spelled without the accent which is also the name of a poisonous plant used by some South American native peoples to tip their arrows, and by medical doctors as a muscle relaxant. Interestingly, one of the symptoms of curare poisoning is blueish skin nor does she speak at all. Out of all the bounties my team and I have face with, she's the only one who keeps getting away a lot."

Now they know of the danger Sam was in to have Barbara worried about her husband's safety. Let's not forget about the sword can be stronger than steel to cut through anything to also destroy a gun bullet in half.

"We're dealing with a bad person from the looks of it." said Gwen.

"I guess we'll have to keep our eyes on Commissioner Gordon, right?"

Terry volunteers to look after Barbara, but Bruce says she's not the target.

"Barbara's not the target." said Bruce.

"No, but someone else that Barbara knows of..." Megan calls her friend out. "Isn't that right?"

Barbara herself appears in the Batcave and chimes in, 'her husband is'.

"Her husband is." she shows herself. "Nice to see you marry couple are doing well to get things down with your...two new heroes."

Megan and Barbara hug each other, for this is the first time of Terry and Gwen to not know who Barbara really was from back then.

"Good to see you too, my friend." said Megan.

She explains that Sam is scheduled to testify against international arms dealer Fyodor Davic, who has hired the Society to kill him first. So that's why her husband is on the hit list...Barbara then sees her old costume in the Batcave.

"I see you've sewed up the bullet holes."

Soon enough, the two figure out who Batgirl was...

"Wait...Commissioner Barbara Gordon was..." Gwen gets it. "You were the original Batgirl!'

"(Bingo!)" said her other half. "(Gweny has one the prize!)"

Even Terry was surprise to see too.

"You're Batgirl!" he says it to Bruce as well. "She's Batgirl!"

Terry is shocked to see her in the Batcave, but she reveals that she was Batgirl a long time ago.

"I was Batgirl a long time ago, kid. Thanks for tonight both you and Gwen Grayson wasn't it? A clone from his DNA to be a half one with fire powers...Different from you are, Megan." she said. "And trying to find out your mother next might be harder than knowing little about your father."

"Ah...Yes...Dick Grayson's sort of my father, and my mom will be hard to know who it is."

She warns Terry, Gwen, Megan, and Bruce that she has long since relinquished that identity, and tells them to stay out of police business.

"Trust me when I tell you kids, this is for your good." Barbara said and then leaves.

"At least take this information disc about Curare."

Bruce gives it to Barbara before taking off, and for Terry and Gwen who both chosen the path to fight for Bruce, someone like her doesn't want them to by staying out of it? Great...For Megan won't allow it to lend a hand somehow.

"No help or not, Barbara will ask for it." Megan said to the others. "I want that bounty to get that reward by any means and protect Mr. Young."

For the Master Assassin groups wants Curare to get the job done by any means or else for she will in any way.

"You were taught to expect the unexpected, Curaré. Batman nor Batwoman should not have made a difference, nor the police, no matter how many there were. You know the price of failure. I only hope you haven't lost your edge."

Now it was personal for Curare won't lose like this...The next night, Sam is being kept in a safe house under heavy guard.

"I thought the man was supposed to protect the woman." Sam makes a joke.

But Barbara knows what she was doing to save her husband.

"Last century, babe." she said back.

Bruce, however, is skeptical about their ability to keep their quarry out. Barbara leaves for Megan was hired to watch on Sam, and Curaré makes her move. She easily manages to evade or incapacitate the guards and makes it into the house, pursued by Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman.

"(Terry, look. There she is, Curare.)" Gwen points out.

Once getting through all of the guards, she sees Megan to try putting her gun out against her bounty.

"Not so fast, Curare! Don't move!"

Trying to shoot to move so fast to destroy her bullets...Batman steps in to punch Curare by making himself invisible and Batwoman to fire it up to use her fiery claws in battle.

"Ha! Made you look!" she makes a joke. "You want Barbara's husband, then you gotta go through us first."

Catching up to her, they briefly unmasks her, to look...not so pretty from Batman and Batwoman's reaction.

"Wow!" shock Batman.

"Ah, man!" same with Batwoman. "Put the mask back on!"

Megan arrives at the scene leaving her confused since Curare gets her mask put back on her face. Whatever her real appearance was, I bet it wasn't pretty to look at.

"What did I just missed?"

"(Megan...I don't think you want to know...)" Gwen was left horrified.

But then, she traps Batman underneath a huge light and continues towards her target.

"Hey!"

"Batwoman, got after her." he tells his partner. "I'll be fine...!"

Megan helps him get out of it.

"Go!" she said. "I got this. I'm stronger than I look..." Megan uses her ESP powers. "I can still lift things with my powers."

And for that, Gwen/Batwoman go on forward.

"You better get back on your feet, Bats, I'll go and stop her right away!" Batwoman takes flight. "Help me feel this mummy freak out, Gweny!"

Batwoman goes after Curare while Megan helps out Batman get out in time. As Curare was making it to Sam's room, she hurls her sword and impales...a dummy.

"(Don't!)" Gwen warns Sam too late.

And it good to know it was only a dummy and not the real Sam Young for Megan and Batman to see once they arrived.

"A dummy?" confused both Batman and Megan.

"I guess we were both dummies on this one, huh?" Batwoman made a joke.

The whole thing was a trap, but unfortunately, Terry and Gwen are the ones who are both caught in it for Megan to not know about this.

"Don't look at me, Barbara hired me to look after Sam in this place. I didn't think it was a trap."

Curaré escapes into the night.

"Wait until I get my hands on her...!" angered Batwoman.

"(Calm down, we will. I take this to be a minor set back.)"

Terry and Gwen does as well for Megan to see them out, but a batarang left behind in the trap controls reveals their involvements. For Barbara has a few good words with Megan.

"Oh, Megan..." she gets her attention.

"Ah, it was a last moment notice...?" Megan makes something up. "Fine, I'll explain..."

Furious at the trap's failure due to Batwoman and Batman's intervention, Barbara confronts Terry and Gwen to warn them both that she'll arrest him, Gwen, and Bruce if they get involved again. But not Megan to be a bounty hunter to her works in Gotham and secretly married to Bruce Wayne.

"Don't make me warn you both more than once again."

For Gwen to feel something out from Barbara to look familiar from the labs she was made.

"Wait..." she looks at the commissioner carefully. "Barbara, I think...But it can't be..."

"What?"

"Are you my biologic mother like father?"

"Mother?!" Terry didn't see this part coming at all.

Wow! Now that's something out of the blue.

"What?" she was shock. "But Sam and I didn't want children but a dog as our pet and child. How can you be my daughter, Gwen?"

"(Hey, Gweny just knows what she sense out, okay?)" Gwen's inner self tells Barbara. "(Don't believe in her? Get yourself a blood test from hers and yours and we'll prove it.)"

However, Terry asks her why she hates Bruce and she says that she doesn't hate him, she but rather that he's become such a lonely recluse.

"Why do you hate him?" Terry asks Barbara.

"You mean Uncle Bruce?" same with Gwen.

And her answer was this...

"Ancient history, McGinnis. And Gwen, I guess I'll see from your last doctor blood test, to match with mine with yours or not."

Barbara is thinking about it then...

"Look, if its alright to talk with us about you and Uncle Bruce, we'll understand." said Gwen. "You don't hate Megan and him being in love, right?"

"That's not it, no...We're best friends, all three of us. I guess I can tel you two."

Over coffee, she talks about her past as Batgirl, explaining that she broke up with Dick Grayson when he left Gotham, choosing to stay behind with Bruce. As a crime-fighting team, they were the perfect pair, but Barbara gave up the life when she realized that Bruce never would to end up falling in love wit Megan instead. For the DNA to help out once more to have Gwen created for Barbara to remember it a little to be the same girl who was standing next her today being Gwen Grayson.

"So you and Dick Grayson like, dated." Terry said.

"In college. Puppy love." she said.

"So you and Father were once in love..." Gwen fixes her sentence. "Oh! Right, you're married. It just you are my Mom to have him as my biological Dad."

"Its fine, Gwen, I think I remember helping out on a project is all from a nice woman." Barbara gets it. "About Dick and me at one time being in love...Later on, we just never talked about it."

Continuing on with Gwen eating something and Terry the same thing with a donut.

"People should communicate more."

True, but with Dick Grayson once being Robin to become Nightwing was far from different communicate.

"Dick finally got fed up living in Batman's shadow. He decided to leave. He was hurt when I chose to stay behind with once having a thing with Megan to make this love harder to do...I liked Bruce, he loved Megan more to love him back, Dick loved her to cheat on me, and...it was hard."

Hard times back then, huh?

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Gwen gets it now. "So that's what really happened."

"As his partner." but Terry sees Barbara's grin widens. "His girlfriend?" Barbara again grins widens even further, leaving Terry shocked. "Whoa!"

"It was more a like a square kind of love going on." Gwen added. "But I guess we know what really happened in the end."

Oh, yes. We all do.

"On the street, it was like ballet. We were the perfect duo and with Megan." said Barbara. "And no, I don't hate him. I hate what he's become. Such a great man...so alone."

I guess Terry and Gwen learn a lot about Barbara to see if she might be Gwen's biologic mother who gave her life later...The night of the trial comes and Curaré learns of the plan to take Sam to the court. Bruce orders Terry and Gwen out, but they were reluctant, wanting to heed Barbara's warning.

"There should be some opening for you two to stop Curare this time."

"Ah...About that, Uncle Bruce..." Gwen was afraid to tell him.

"If we did, Commissioner Gordon will have Gwen as a criminal, and me brought back to jail." and Terry.

As Megan calls the three up, its now or never to stop Curare right away while they still have a chance.

"Look, you two. Less worrying, and more work!" said the old bounty hunter. "I know what Barbara said is harsh, but she just doing this because she doesn't want you both to get hurt. Trust me."

Bruce tells them on why Curaré is so dangerous: the Society of Assassins' standard practice is to kill any one of their own who fails; but Curaré has never failed—she is the best of them.

"(Now that's just mess up!)" said Gwen's inner self. "(Ah, Batsy, you might want to do it with Gweny, otherwise...She'll kill those Society of Assassins to be worse than she's already killing others.)"

I guess they have to do it for Terry to suit up.

"Oh, the heck with it."

"Yeah!" Megan sounded happy. "Bruce, we'll have to talk to Barbara again you and me later."

"Of course." he said.

And for Gwen to transform too to join wit Terry as Batman.

"If its for saving a life to stop the bad guys then okay. Burning Passion! Batwoman!" Gwen transforms.

Sam heads out on a train along with Barbara and Curaré manages to intercept the train. Once again she defeats the guards with ease and derails the car carrying her target, which crashes into the side of a meat processing plant. Barbara and Sam seal themselves inside a meat locker, but their communications are cut off and Curaré's sword is able to cut through the steel door with ease. She catches up to her target but before she can kill him, Batman and Batwoman intervene again.

"Ha! You're cold as ice, lady!" said Batwoman to burn her clothes a bit. "And that was only a little taste on what's to happen you next from the two of us."

Megan then arrives to fire off gels to be burn really hot-like as it gets to Curare a little but not as much as Batwoman use her fire powers a few second ago.

"Sorry, Barbara, but I needed to call for help like it or not!" she said. "I want that bounty head to reclaim my reward."

During the fight, the meat grinder is activated and some batarangs hit the wall near Barbara and Sam. Eventually, The fight carries the combatants over the meat grinder and Curaré prepares to slash Batman and Batwoman with her sword one last time.

"(She's too fast for us to stop her!)"

Just before she can do so, a batarang, thrown by Barbara, knocks her sword from her hand and into the grinder.

"Barbara?!" surprised Megan. "Nice hit!"

With Batwoman giving Curare an upper cut fire attack to the face...

"We got you."

Batman manages to capture Curaré and save his friends.

"Not bad." he said to his partner.

"Not bad yourself." Gwen touches Terry's hand. "Oh! Sorry!"

The two were blushing at one another again.

"No, it was me..." same with him. "But you do feel soft."

Cute huh? At least Megan has her reward for Curare to finally get arrested.

"Finally! I got you."

Nice team work to save Sam's life to have Barbara helping out Batwoman and Batman to know who they really are.

"Now that's what I call team work." said Batwoman.

"I guess you never lose the touch." Batman said to the Commissioner. "How'd it feel?"

"Like old times." she said to be smiling. "You two better go. Ii wouldn't look good if..." Barbara turns around to see Batman and Batwoman gone. "Like old times alright."

Later that night, Terry is on the phone with Bruce about how cool Barbara was in battle.

"You should have seen her, Bruce. She sure swings a mean Batarang."

Gwen hears Terry on the phone while helping out her step-uncle.

"It was cool to see." said Gwen.

"She always did." Bruce said with a smile.

And who also says that Sam's testimony has succeeded in convicting Davic, but a newscast reports that Curaré has escaped. Bruce tells Terry and Gwen not to worry, as Curaré has 'other concerns'. As Megan goes on the search for her yet again. Elsewhere, Curaré desperately drives a police car out of the city, when a sword stabs down through the roof just next to her... Yep, those assassin people are now after her. For Gwen's other half could already tell.

"(Well, as the old saying goes...Once a killer, always going to be a killer for rest of their lives.)" she said. "(Nothing to fear, Gweny, as your uncle said for you and Terry to get back Curare again soon enough.)"

She will be back with vengeance I bet. Note to self: Do not work with people like them without getting the job done, or else.


	12. Ascension

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 12 – Ascension

It's night at the Gotham docks and Blight personally hosts a robbery of several canisters of polymer. After easily dealing with the dockworkers, he soon discovers more trouble when he's confronted by Batman and Batwoman.

"(Blight, we haven't seen him since he appeared with Mr. Freeze.)" Gwen said to remember the new villain. "(He's like me to turn his humanity into crime. And with that, Batman, we have to stop him.)"

And so they do for the two crime fighting duo both put a stop to Blight's heist.

"Yo, Blight, guess who?" Batwoman taunts with the villain. "Welcome to your doom!"

Blight wasn't too happy to see his two enemies again, and for one of them to have being Gwen to know she was Batwoman.

"Batman! Batwoman!"

Batman and Batwoman both manage to stop the robbery and Blight ends up destroying all the canisters of polymer in a failed attempt to stop his enemy. However, the workers are trapped in a fire. Forced to save them, Batman allows Blight to escape.

"Batwoman, a little fire power please!" he asks for help.

For her to do just that by absorbing the fire into her body.

"You don't have to ask me twice, Batman, I got your back. You just get everyone else out of danger." she said back.

However, Batman discovers one of Blight's thugs and searches him, finding an ID card from Wayne-Powers, causing Batman to realize that Derek Powers is somehow involved in Blight's crimes.

"Hello." Terry/Batman sees some evidences. "Look at this, Batwoman, looks like somehow's working for Powers and this Blight person's one of them."

This has Gwen to worry for the man put her so much to start to remember some of the things when she was created.

"(Derek Powers' the name I wish to never hear or to see in person.)"

"I know, could this mean that Powers is helping Blight?" questioned Batman.

Well, it was the other way around...Back at his lab, Blight fumes over his failure and asks how long the skin will last if they procure the materials through proper channels. His doctors say only about two weeks at most since the radiation and his temper is getting out of control. Deciding that he can no longer keep up the charade, Powers decides to call in some help.

"If I'm going to get better in a new change, I need to have Gwen's DNA to cure me." he said. "I can forget about selling her as a weapon to Kobra. This will have to do for me instead."

What did he mean by that? Well, maybe for Megan back at her company of bounty hunter work to discover more about Gwen Grayson – family, making a clone of her, powers, to selling, Powers himself, and so on.

"(Well, hello...What do we have here?)"

Looks like she did find something big. Elsewhere, out in the Verdezan branch of Wayne-Powers, people angrily crowd around the building chanting, 'Paxton Powers polluter!'. Paxton is unconcerned, and refuses to listen to their demands.

"No more pollution. How do they expect us to make a profit?" Miss Winston, Derek's secretary, arrives and tells Paxton that his father wants to see him. Flying to Gotham City, Paxton speaks privately with his father, who says he's appointing him temporary chairman of the board. Derek says Paxton will be a puppet, taking orders from him, but if he does well, then he will acquire real power later. Paxton asks what's going on and Derek reveals his condition. "Oh, Dad..." Paxton sees it now. "And what of your little project?"

"I need her alive." Powers explain. "I've created Gwen as a fire weapon to sell off to the Kobra, however...I might have to cancel it to have myself cure by her next. My sister didn't aid me for nothing to make it done from a ex-couple to attend of their DNA to do so mix with a former villain from long ago who causes trouble in Metropolis...I think she want by Volcana...? Look, son, help me. I know of her weakness. We get her, I can get cured to lose some fire power coursing through her entire body."

Showing a picture of Gwen Grayson, Paxton sees that her DNA matches with Powers to be the same blood type.

"She's cute. But I guess the cure's more important. Very well, I can help. And whatever it is you have in mind won't kill her completely, will it?"

And for that, is something to guess from to be hard to tell if it will or not.

"You let me worry about it." he said to his son.

Elsewhere back at Wayne Manor for Gwen was thinking a lot from her life to be going well, and some down sides.

"Gwen?"

"Hi, Uncle Bruce." she was still working. "Sorry, I have a lot on my mind right now. Ever since I was rescued and care for to learn more about myself, it makes me get worried a lot more..."

Bruce places his hand on Gwen's shoulder.

"Still scared to be around Powers no matter how hard he tries getting to you or his goons? Blight, wasn't it? That some power." said Bruce. "Look, Terry will come to aid you to go as Batwoman if something were to happen during my interviews. There's noting to worry about. I won't let him have you nor will Terry or Megan. She's been..."

"Doing a lot of my background check for a while. I know." Gwen was aware. "Hopefully, I'll know who my sister...Or rather, who was like a sister to me was and why Powers made me into a weapon, Uncle Bruce, the waits getting to me."

The next day...Derek convenes a meeting of the Board, and several prominent stockholders, to announce his decision. Bruce is also in attendance with Gwen to aid him 'while Terry waits to overhear and watch the whole thing from back outside'.

"(You'll be fine, Gwen, just stay with Mr. Wayne at all times.)" said Terry.

For Gwen was putting on a brave face to ignore Powers, only for his son Paxton was winking at her. Creepy...! Several people protest, citing Paxton's poor track record in South America. Derek waves down their objections, but then several villagers from Verdeza barge in, shouting about what Paxton has done to their rivers. Derek tries to keep his temper, but his skin starts to flake. Then their leader, Mr. Mendez, dumps a pail full of tainted water and dying fish onto the boardroom table, splattering Powers. At that, Derek goes berserk and transforms into Blight, before the eyes of Bruce, Gwen, the board, the stockholders, and everyone watching the news.

"Powers is Blight all along?!" shock Gwen to stand next to Bruce's side to look scared. "Uncle Bruce!"

"(No way!)" same thing with Gwen's inner self.

Terry, who had been watching the press release from Bruce's car, realizes that Derek Powers is Blight as well.

"Whoa. Powers is Blight!"

Bruce tries to intervene and is attacked and since Gwen couldn't transform to be bad enough'.

"You animals!" Powers as Blight grabs Mendez. "You want to talk about poison?" he laughs. "I AM POISON!"

Bruce hits Blight on the head with his cane.

"Let him go! Gwen, stay behind me!"

She has no other choice now.

"Okay!" she said.

"Old man, I've been waiting to do this for years!" Blight attacks Bruce. "Once I'm done with you, Gwen will finally be mine!"

But Batman arrives, stopping Blight before he can kill him.

After a brief fight, Blight leaves the room and escapes but not without placing a collar around Gwen next to be strong liquid nitrogen to stop her body painfully.

"You're coming with me, Gwen...!"

This has Gwen unable to transform or use her fire powers for her other self to give in for the time being.

"(Gweny, my bad...!)" she was gone for now.

"Ah! He's got me...!" she screams in pain. "Help me! Batman! Uncle Bruce!"

Batman checks how Bruce was doing to play along in front of the others.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine...Batman." Bruce then sees Gwen has gone missing. "Gwen...?"

Batman goes after Blight to find him gone with Gwen.

"No. No! No!" Batman started to panic. "Gwen! Gwen!" This was really bad now. Powers who's Blight has a hold of Gwen now for Paxton to be part of this mess. Later that night, Bruce analyzes the data and deduces that Blight's condition was caused by his exposure to the nerve gas—meaning Terry inadvertently caused it to happen. This pleases Terry, bothering Bruce, now worried that things have gotten too personal, but Terry is unrepentant. "Do you think he was born this way?" Terry asks Bruce.

Well, about that...From the first episode event where it all happened.

"Do you remember with Gwen when Powers was exposed to nerve gas?"

"Sure, I remember. I threw it." he answers. "And Gwen fought back to...put a lot of fire to expose it."

Makes sense...

"Powers would have been treated with radiation. That, combined with the gas, may have mutated him into this. And having Gwen to use for a weapon, he would've control her to take me down, but he hasn't." Bruce thought about something else. "Maybe he has another thing to use her for from his radiation of his."

So, it was sort of an accident that both Terry and Gwen did to Powers. Knowing it was his fault, to turn into this type of mess.

"You mean...I made him that?"

"You may have, in part." said Bruce. "A little from Gwen did from her fire rage she couldn't control a while back."

And for some of the parts made Terry kind of happy about it.

"Good." Bruce glares art Terry. "Hey, this guy had my father murdered and all he's done since is hide from the law. Well, no more hiding for Mr. Derek Powers. Now everyone can see him for what he is...even in the dark. And what's he doing, he could kill Gwen to get himself cure, this could kill her than himself. And I won't allow him to have his way with her. Not Gwen...! It has to stop."

Powers has hidden behind his legal power and his money committing his evil deeds, but he's finally as ugly on the outside as he was on the inside, and now, Terry says, everyone can see him for the monster that he really is and to save Gwen as well. Like him, Bruce was also worried about Gwen too like Terry was the most.

"Look, we'll save her. I don't want for Powers to hurt Gwen for you to get upset about. Megan will also be helping us out, but there's something else you should know about Gwen..."

Lots more? Like what?"

"Tell me." Terry listens in.

And so, Bruce does. In Derek's absence, Paxton assumes leadership of Wayne-Powers. Derek calls him on the phone, telling his son to arrange a hideout for him. Paxton refuses, instead he calls for an ambulance so he can get medical treatment. Derek calls his son a fool and destroys the phone. From there, I think Paxton might be having some second thoughts to also worried about killing someone like Gwen.

"No matter...I have what I need." he looks at the chain up Gwen. "At last we meet again, Gwen. I've place a special device that'll keep you feeling very cold to be unable to burn me completest. I've come prepared."

For that, Gwen couldn't get out to use her fire powers to feel very weak.

"And becoming a criminal solo will do you better to use me against Batman and Uncle Bruce? I'll never hurt innocent lives..."

"Not for that anymore, Gwen, I also need to have some of your blood into me. You are the cure to my radiation problem." said Powers.

And seeing the things around the room to become a test subject.

"What? No!" she couldn't break free no matter how much she tried. "Let me out, Powers!"

"Scream all you want, I'll be ready to stop Batman the next time he shows up. And for Bruce Wayne himself..." he make a cutting sound. "I will watch him suffer until he has expired."

"Why are you doing this?! Why was I made into a weapon?!"

That's when Powers tells Gwen everything, the same with Bruce telling Terry too on what Megan just discovered to let Barbara Gordon know as well, for she's Gwen's biological mother, and the biological father was Dick Grayson. A half human and clone she was to become a fire type of human weapon with feelings.

"I guess I'll tell you everything...The woman cared, raised, and love you like a true child when growing up was my sister. Well, she was once my sister. We had to make weapons like you with others to be...far different than you think. A project to test out to have a local cop and some street thug volunteer in it to offer life to combine into a shell for she and I did wonders to sell it off to the organization terrorist group known as Kobra – they make things to using them to take over what they want. From things, people, or companies they see fit to be most wanted all over the world for many years; I had one to make the best human-like clone with super powers...from a old villain's fire power, mix in with the DNA life of two other humans who knew each other, and a sick girl to become a brand new ones of fire with real human feelings my sister did to raising you, it was suppose to be for a short term. But it wasn't...I thought I sold you to Kobra to make money to get away with it, and during the time I did add some of my same blood type as yours to be a cure in case I was sick of any kind to be my walking antidote, leaving my own sister against it ot raise you as her own child, and what happen to her you may say? Well, not a good one to have her life ended...a bit to soon in a radioactive accident from the event I was doing the time you escaped from me."

From the first episode, remember? It was a porto-type during the time. So Derek Powers killed his own sister to hide it all, Paxton's aunt.

"You mean...? So that's what happened...You murder her! She was like a real sister to me! She was your own sister!" angered Gwen to also be crying too.

More to the story...

"She was going to sell me out, I had no choice to tell my son that his aunt was killed in a robbery and he believed in it! And for me to have some cure from your body to use on me to become Blight, it's my only shot left before I knew about shipping you out to Kobra, I was lucky to have second thoughts during the time before you've escaped. And because you found a new life, I knew you are Batwoman with the same fire powers to keep to myself about it to be going to school with McGinnis's kid, work for Bruce Wayne as an uncle to take you in, and thinking you're such a special one...Even if I want you for myself, Kobra will be coming after you too. And for the other kinds of their fates..."

Of course, Powers had something to do with it too. Killing them all in their sleep of the tanks they were in, right? And now we know all about Gwen Grayson. How she had the last name from Dick himself who was once Robin to Nightwing instead of Gordon? Who knows.

"You had them killed as well? To hide the truth..." Gwen took a guess. "Powers, you're more of a monster than I am. At least for Kobra, they'll be easier to find and to stop, and you...Batman will save me and stop your plans for good and for Uncle Bruce's sake! Even if I can't fight back, I won't give in to having you cure from me."

Powers laughs to have no doubt to be winning this one.

"Is that so, Gwen?" he monks her. "When I'm done with you, you'll be nothing but a fragile girl with nothing int you but a dry up personality."

That's mess up? Can Gwen be saved from Powers/Blight or what? Meanwhile...

Batman goes out on patrol to try to find Gwen and soon sees the Bat-signal 'which he haven't seen in a long time now' in the skies of Gotham. He follows it to Paxton's office at Wayne-Powers. But not until after Terry/Batman destroys the Bat-signal after Paxton used it to call him out.

"Next time, use e-mail." said Batman.

Paxton says he's worried for his father and believes Batman is the only one who can help him and might find Gwen. He shows Batman a device that Wayne-Powers scientists have developed that can absorb his father's radiation and subdue him. Batman agrees and heads out if it'll lead him to Gwen.

"Careful, Terry, you're sounding a little too vindictive." Bruce warns Terry. "I gave Megan more updates, she'll give you something to lead you to her on Gwen's location."

"Please do. (Gwen, hang in there. I will save you.)"

For Bruce to have a strange feeling, they will find Gwen and save her for Megan to aid Batman on this one. However, just after he leaves, the villager, Mr. Mendez, arrives, revealing that he is actually Paxton's henchman. Paxton doesn't believe Batman's been entirely fooled by his 'good son' act, and tells Mendez to be ready to kill him as well. All but Gwen to have for himself to stop his father to not have for power, but as his girlfriend.

"I think Gwen's too cute not to be a weapon or a medicine for my Father." he said. "She's mine."

Seemingly the only person still loyal to Derek is Miss Winston. Batman follows her to an abandoned nuclear submarine moored at the docks, where she delivers a sandwich to her employer. Batman figures out that the submarine's background radioactivity hides Blight's from radiation searches. Batman passes on the location to Paxton. And to see Gwen all tied up on becoming a blood drainer to give it all to Powers to have her killed.

"(Terry...Please save me...I wish I was stronger...)"

The next night, Blight hears Batman's voice taunting him over the intercom. Blight angrily prowls the submarine, searching for him. For the curing can begin and for Batman to get Powers' partner away form the scene.

"Its time." he starts up the machine. "Okay, Gwen, time to cure me...all the way through. This might hurt a little to go away once you're nothing for me to end your life when its down. So hold still."

It starts up for the blood was too powerful to get out of Gwen's body to be in pain a lot more than she gets water on her body or really cold all over.

"No! NOOOOOO! Stop it, Powers! It hurts!"

It was starting...Well, Megan steps in to try to put a stop to it all.

"What the...?" Powers/Blight knows of Megan Tsuki herself. "Megan Tsuki - the Psyche bounty hunter of Gotham?"

"Yo, Powers, or should I say...Blight." she has her gun out. "Stop the machine and release Gwen Grayson before I have to get serious with you!"

He won't go down without a fight.

"Sorry, but I don't have time to play...maybe a little before my fifteen minute medicine kicks in."

Using his powers once more to slow Megan down to not get near Gwen to saving her to fire back with gun firing a lot. It was too hard to stop Blight to be having radiation powers.

"Trying to kil me!?"

"You could say that, yes!" Blight laughs.

Gwen had to do something to feel weak to be dying what felt like it...She grabs the lining needle from her veins to pull it out, and even more help arrives for Batman appears.

"Ahoy Captain!"

For Megan and Gwen to be happy about it, Blight wasn't.

"Batman!" said the villain.

Trying to finish with the cure, Gwen uses some of her powers to point at the pack of blood to make it get bigger from the hot bubble to inflate to give it her all to stopping the whole mess for good, Megan joins in with her ESP powers to make it even bigger.

"Grow, baby! Grow!" said Megan.

And from it, boom! It pops for Gwen had enough energy to fight back to getting frees from the machine, Megan removing the collar and to get her warm for more of her fire powers to grow back, as this blast pushes Blight aside to still be himself to not be cured at all, for he has loss. Weak to transform for today, at least it has failed and Gwen was alive and well.

"No...No! My cure! It's ruined!"

"(Terry...) Batman, we're in here! I'm okay!" she tells her friend. "Blight miss his chance to getting cured."

Now trying to fire a gun shot to hit Blight's shoulder to outrun the two girls to make his getaway and finding Batman next. Searching all over the sub to hear his enemy's voice all over, Batman tells Blight that his vendetta is partially personal, but refuses to divulge anything other than that Blight murdered his father.

"Who are you?!"

With Blight demanding to know.

"You really want to know?" Batman questions Blight.

"Yes!" he answers again.

And then, Batman reveals himself from out of the shadows.

"You killed my father."

Megan helps out Gwen to carrying her out of the room to watch and hear the whole showdown to be happening. For Blight didn't know who Batman was talking about...

"Do you have the slightest idea how little that narrows it down?" he asked.

As Powers has murdered many people, this gives him very little information to figure out just who Batman might be.

"Too bad. That's all you get. And trying to kill Gwen to get you better? I own't ever forgive you more than you've already did." Batman then shuts. "CAPTAIN ON THE BRIDGE!"

However, he finds he has walked into a trap and is captured in a net connected to the radiation-sucking machine, operated by Paxton. To Batman's horror, Paxton turns the machine to full power, intending to drain his father to death.

"What's going on?" Megan was confused.

Gwen feels out it was doing more than stopping Powers. No matter how much she hates him for hurting her life and killing someone close to be his own sister, it doesn't have to end like this.

"Batman! Powers is getting killed! Do something!"

Paxton was planning this to kill his own father all along to own the company and to learn about him murdering his aunt.

"Did you really expect me to believe you'd ever give me power?" Paxton questions his own father. "That I'd ever have an ounce of control as long as you were alive? You taught me by example, Dad. The only way to get power is to seize it!" he then looks at Gwen to point his gun at Megan to shoot hers out of her hands and kicking the bounty hunter to the ground. "Stay down, I got business with you. Come, Gwen, I'll protect you from my Father who almost had you killed. Come to me."

"Don't do it, Gwen!" Batman tells her.

For her to be scared to help out Megan, she refuses to go anywhere with the Powers family.

"No! You're worse compare to your Father, at least he wants to be human! But not like this...! The only person in the family I could trust more was you aunt!"

In spite of Terry's hatred for Derek for his father's murder, deep down his sense of morality refuses to let Derek die.

"Leave Gwen alone and killing your father isn't the way!" Batman steps in. "You said you were going to hep your father!"

"But I lied." he approaches to Gwen to have her. "I said come here, Gwen, I don't want to use force upon you, but if I must...She'll die."

Paxton was threatening Gwen to come to him or he'll shoot Megan. As Batman was trying to stay alive to from getting shot, she had to do something to control her powers without the bracelet on for today, the question is – how? Paxton signals Mendez, who enters and opens fire on Batman, but misses from Gwen to make the gun feel all heated to burn Mendez's hands and destroys the controls for the machine.

"(That's it, I can do this. I can still fight back without being Batwoman.) Leave my friends..." she powers up. "ALONE!"

Well, it works for Batman to use a fire hose to cool off Paxton's henchmen and away from Gwen to not get hit from it at all.

"Nicely done, you two." said Megan to getting back up again to stopping the other henchmen in seconds.

For Batman to see Gwen for them to be hugging next.

"Gwen!"

"Batman!" she was happy to see him. "(Terry, I knew you would come for me. I knew it...For you, Megan, and Uncle Bruce to never leave me behind...!) Thank you for saving me, Batman."

A cute moment here for them to embrace for Terry was really worried about Gwen.

"I'm glad you're not dead." he said. "Thanks to this suit, your fire doesn't hurt me at all. See?"

It sure wasn't which was a good thing.

"I'm glad."

"You did fight back to not have Batwoman to help out." said Batman. "Now we can bring both father and son to justice, and your powers can do a lot more. I don't care if they know who you are, we'l both knock some sense into them together."

"Right." said Gwen.

Blight revives and Paxton flees the sub in panic. In rage, Blight releases so much radiation that it causes the submarine to sink.

"We're going down!" Megan said to alert the others. "Batman, get the other men and I'll aid Gwen on my end. We need to get out of here!"

Blight was really mad at his own son and not getting cured by Gwen anymore, it was over for him.

"PAXTON!"

Saving Mendez and another henchman, Batman manages to escape the sub along with Megan and Gwen too, but Blight is last seen inside the sub as it goes down. For Gwen to use fire to keep the radiation smoke from spreading from air or water to save many lives, she hopes it didn't kill Powers.

"Did I murder him...?" question Gwen.

Well, it was hard to tell for Batman and Gwen to see the submarine sinking down below the ocean. I don't think Blight didn't survive from it at all from the looks of it, for Megan checks from her computer book to try getting a reading.

"He's dead."

The two were shock to hear and so was Bruce.

"Are you sure?" he asks his wife.

Gwen thought it would upset for murdering someone, but...that's not what killed him for Megan discovered something else from earlier.

"The fire didn't kill him or getting drowned...Derek Powers got a quick spread from the radiation, he devolved skin cancer since you two stopped him from spreading the stuff in Gotham, it spread a lot faster due to his anger and stress. His treated didn't last long, even if he got a hold of your entire blood, Gwen, it would've last about a month or so. That's it. From the explosion he caused to letting out his rage on his own son for almost murdering his father, its what really ended Blight."

Its true, Derek Powers/Blight was no more to make Gwen feel a bit better, same with Bruce to have the company back to normal now. Leaving Terry/Batman hug Gwen again to be happy that all of this was over. Even having his revenge for his father, the nightmare's over to have Powers' sister to finally rest in peace.

"(What's done, its done. About time too.)" said Gwen's inner self. "Looks like I'm back, Gweny..."

She was happy and so was Terry.

"Looks like your sister can rest in peace now, Gwen."

"And so can your father, Terry." she was crying with tears of joy now to not burn her face. "I'm so happy I'm free. With a lot more to do and not to become a weapon from Kobra."

"I'll make sure it doesn't happen, trust me." he said. "I'll protect you."

"Thanks again Terry. (And with this, I can still fight as myself and Batwoman."

For this moment, Terry was showing off his feelings more to Gwen, to hopefully be closer than friends soon enough and crime fighting duos, right? Hopefully...And for Gwen to place her bracelet back on to keep her powers under control 'just in case'. Paxton returns to his office, where he is confirmed as acting Chairman of the Board. Batman and Batwoman arrive and tells him that he made a bad enemy.

"You made a bad enemy tonight." said Terry/Batman. "And having Gwen, was a even bigger mistake."

"What are you going to do? Testify against me in that mask?" Paxton mocks Batman. "And what about you, Batwoman?"

Good thing Paxton doesn't know that Batwoman was really Gwen.

"I don't know, Paxton, I heard a lot of things you did tonight..." she said. "Although I can't do anything to you for the time being, that doesn't mean this is over just yet."

"Oh, really? I find Gwen more cute than you are. I'm not worried."

"Oh, I wasn't talking about me or her." Batman said. "We're the least of your worries."

Paxton is unconcerned as he sees on the news that Blight's body was never found, and believes that he melted with the submarine. See? He was dead.

"I guess he is dead." said Paxton.

Batman, unconvinced, ominously warns him that he shouldn't be so sure.

"Believe what you want."

I guess Paxton Powers was the new enemy now to Batman and Batwoman, he shouldn't be a bigger problem now than his father was. As for Gwen to look over Gotham to hopefully be ready for anything to not become a human type of weapon, and other things to be coming along, she won't back down anymore to be afraid to fight back.

"(From one problem solved, more to do, and others to be stopped...Paxton is the least of our worries, Terry. But I'll be ready for anything to continue to train my powers, as long as you, Uncle Bruce, and Megan are around. I'm more than Batwoman with fire powers, I'm just a normal teenage girl name Gwen Grayson, and I'm proud to be me.)" she said.

With other villains with bad super powers, both Batman and Batwoman will be ready for anything next time. With Derek Powers/Blight long gone, the job's not over yet.


	13. Splicers

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 13 – Splicers

Out at Hamilton Hill High School, students excitedly gather around Chelsea, eager to see her new decoration. She removes her sunglasses and reveals that she now literally has cat eyes. She passes out business cards from the Chimera Institute, a company that can splice human DNA with the DNA of animals. For Gwen to be seeing this to become a big hit lately as a new thing for teenagers...And it looks like she was doing well after the showdown with Blight to learning more about herself and has been controlling her fire carefully, so she's fine.

"(People who are doing something odd to look like they have animal body parts? How strange...)"

Others were seeing this like Terry, Dana, Gwen, and a new girl name Maxine 'Max' Gibson from Chelsea's new look.

"Chelsea, you got sliced." said Dana.

"Splice?" Gwen was lost.

'Your dad's so gonna flip." and Maxie.

Terry's a little skeptical with the controversy amongst the crowd and it's mentioned that the city is trying to shut down the operation.

"And I don't, Chelsea, isn't messing your DNA on animal things can be bad for your body?"

From other teenagers doing it, and still a thing to try shutting down the whole fun.

"Oh, please." she said back. "This is nothing, I'm fine."

Gwen didn't think so to feel something out from all of them not looking so normal.

"I'm not so sure... (It reminds me of others to become a hybrid type of humanoid animal, it's not good.)" Gwen thought about it.

Dana brushes off his concerns and tries encouraging him to keep an open mind.

"It just a thing we kids are into, Terry, I'm sure the cops are keeping it open minded." Dana said to her boyfriend.

With Chelsea giving others a card information if they want to try it out before really doing it, the splice thing was still open.

"Here, Gwen, it's good to more things." she said.

"Ah...Thanks, I guess?"

Later, in the Batcave, he, Gwen, and Bruce are watching a vidcast, in which Dr. Abel Cuvier, the head of the Chimera Institute, tries reassuring everyone that splicing is safe, reversible and beautiful. For teenagers said it was harmless to all of them, so far...

"Splicing is like establishing myself as an individual, you know, just like all my friends!"

And the man behind it all Dr. Abel Cuvier also says this...

"I want to assure everyone that splicing is safe, reversible, and more importantly, utterly beautiful. I was the first test subject, and as you can see, I'm perfectly fine." said Cuvier.

For Gwen to not like doing it at all, Terry had a bad feeling for not doing it either.

"Perfectly creepy is more like it." he said back.

"You're right about one thing, Terry, I don't trust this type of things kids like us are doing from time to time." Gwen said.

Smart girl to not become one of the popular types in school. For Terry to see how smart she was to be blushing from her beauty.

"Good call, Gwen..."

She checks on Terry from his strange behavior.

"Ah, Terry? Are you feeling well?" she asks her friend.

"I'm fine!" Terry snaps out of it. "Besides, splicing wouldn't be my thing. You would look like a type of bird, and maybe me as a bat."

"Keep dreaming." Bruce added in.

Ha! Nice one.

"Way to ruined the mood, Wayne." Terry said back.

As Megan report this to the three to also explain about the chimera thing...

"What this Cuvier is doing is creating some type of humanoid chimeras. From the old Greek mythology - Homer's brief description in the Iliad is the earliest surviving literary reference: 'a thing of immortal make, not human, lion-fronted and snake behind, a goat in the middle, and snorting out the breath of the terrible flame of bright fire. 'Elsewhere in the Iliad, Homer attributes the rearing of Chimera to Amisodorus. Hesiod's Theogony follows the Homeric description: he makes the Chimera the issue of Echidna: "She was the mother of Chimera who breathed raging fire, a creature fearful, great, swift-footed and strong, who had three heads, one of a grim-eyed lion; in her hinderpart, a dragon; and in her middle, a goat, breathing forth a fearful blast of blazing fire. Her did Pegasus and noble Bellerophon slay.' The author of the Bibliotheca concurs: descriptions agree that she breathed fire. The Chimera is generally considered to have been female (see the quotation from Hesiod above) despite the mane adorning her head, the inclusion of a close mane often was depicted on lionesses, but the ears always were visible (that does not occur with depictions of male lions). Sighting the Chimera was an omen of storms, shipwrecks, and natural disasters (particularly volcanoes). Gold reel, possibly an ear-stud, with winged Pegasus (outer band) and the Chimera (inner band), Magna Graecia or Etruria, fourth century BC (Louvre) While there are different genealogies, in one version the Chimera mated with her brother Orthrus and was the mother of the Sphinx and the Nemean lion (others have Orthrus and their mother, Echidna, mating; most attribute all to Typhon and Echidna). The Chimera finally was defeated by Bellerophon with the help of Pegasus, at the command of King Iobates of Lycia, after terrorizing Lycia and nearby lands. Since Pegasus could fly, Bellerophon shot the Chimera from the air, safe from her heads and breath. A scholiast to Homer adds that he finished her off by equipping his spear with a lump of lead that melted when exposed to the Chimera's fiery breath and consequently killed her, an image drawn from metalworking. Robert Graves suggests, 'The Chimera was, apparently, a calendar-symbol of the tripartite year, of which the seasonal emblems were lion, goat, and serpent.' Pebble mosaic depicting Bellerophon killing the Chimera, from Rhodes archaeological museum. The Chimera was situated in foreign Lycia, but her representation in the arts was wholly Greek. An autonomous tradition, one that did not rely on the written word, was represented in the visual repertory of the Greek vase-painters. The Chimera first appears at an early stage in the repertory of the proto-Corinthian pottery-painters, providing some of the earliest identifiable mythological scenes that may be recognized in Greek art. The Corinthian type is fixed, after some early hesitation, in the 670's BC; the variations in the pictorial representations suggests multiple origins to Marilyn Low Schmitt. The fascination with the monstrous devolved by the end of the seventh century into a decorative Chimera-motif in Corinth, while the motif of Bellerophon on Pegasus took on a separate existence alone. A separate Attic tradition, where the goats breathe fire and the animal's rear is serpent-like, begins with such confidence that Marilyn Low Schmitt is convinced there must be unrecognized or undiscovered local precursors. Two vase-painters employed the motif so consistently they are given the pseudonyms the Bellerophon Painter and the Chimera Painter. A fire-breathing lioness was one of the earliest of solar and war deities in Ancient Egypt (representations from 3000 years prior to the Greek) and influences are feasible. The lioness represented the war goddess and protector of both cultures that would unite as Ancient Egypt. Sekhmet was one of the dominant deities in upper Egypt and Bast in lower Egypt. As divine mother, and more especially as protector, for Lower Egypt, Bast became strongly associated with Wadjet, the patron goddess of Lower Egypt. In Etruscan civilization, the Chimera appears in the Orientalizing period that precedes Etruscan Archaic art; that is to say, very early indeed. The Chimera appears in Etruscan wall-paintings of the fourth century BC. In Indus civilization are pictures of the chimera in many seals. There are different kinds of the chimera composed of animals from Indian subcontinent. It is not known how Indus people called the chimera. In Medieval art, although the Chimera of antiquity was forgotten, chimerical figures appear as embodiments of the deceptive, even satanic forces of raw nature. Provided with a human face and a scaly tail, as in Dante's vision of Geryon in Inferno xvii.7–17, 25–27, hybrid monsters, more akin to the Manticore of Pliny's Natural History (viii.90), provided iconic representations of hypocrisy and fraud well into the seventeenth century, through an emblematic representation in Cesare Ripa's Iconologia."

Lots to say, but it was all true. Bruce also expresses his concern, believing that a problem will arise from this.

"Just be careful you two." he said. "Its something we don't want to get out of hand, Megan and I have doubt with something like it with from cats a while back. But this one could be much worse."

From the mad man who made animals or Selina Kyle in cat creature? How can we forget about that one? The next morning, Terry is scared out of bed by his brother Matt wearing a wolf-man mask and gloves. As Terry chases his brother out of his room, the latter tries asking his mother if he can get spliced. Yeah, not happening...

"Hey Mom, can I get spliced?" Matt asks his mother. "I want to be a real wolf man for Halloween!"

His request is refused. Terry tries jokingly referring to Mary's tattoo from her 'wild years', to which she insists is very different from 'having antlers stuck on your head'. Matt further teases Terry by saying that he's already a donkey.

"You're lucky I'm late for school, twip." He is spared retaliation as Terry is late for school.

On a vertical train, a newscast shows that D.A. Sam Young is working to stop the practice of splicing as it causes an increase in aggressive behavior. As if to drive the point home, a teenager that has been spliced with ram DNA smashes the television screen. Another teen who has been spliced with snake DNA then joins him. Gwen senses danger for her and Terry to see.

"(Looks like more Splice trouble's right in front of us.)"

They stir up some trouble, proclaiming that splicing is the future, but Terry fights them, earning applause from the bystanders.

"How about not, snake boy." he said. "Gwen, get back. It'l be fine." Terry does well to show the two Splicers who was boss. " So will you petting zoo rejects be needing a doctor?...Or a vet?"

The others were happy and so was Gwen.

"Amazing!"

As security comes in, the spliced teens promise that all will be spliced and they run off, causing trouble along the way. Looking to investigate, Terry takes Dana and Gwen to the Chimera Institute to show what Dana would look like to be some type of female guzzle.

"I think I'm starting to have second thoughts." she said.

"You did say you wanted to try it out." Terry said to his girlfriend. "But if that's what you want."

"I can't say I blame you." said Gwen. "(And judging from the screen acting up for my scanning, my powers show from the fire it won't work on me, I could some kind of cure if its possible)"

Gwen got off lucky there. While she is shown the possibilities, Terry notices that the two teenagers that he faced earlier have arrived, demanding to see Cuvier. This allows Terry to go ad Batman to do some research to leave Dana behind to go home for her own safety.

"Ah, Gwen?"

She had to say something...

"Oh, look! Terry's gone missing to getting lost again in this place. I'll find him, Dana, and I'll tell him to cal you later so see you tomorrow." she takes off to be acting. "And good call of not doing this! (That should by Dana some time to leave.)"

And so, Dana leaves the place for Gwen to start searching for Terry to be Batman right now and for her to make sure it was time to suit up as she was spying around the place carefully.

"(Lead the way, Gweny, your boyfriend shouldn't be wondering around too far. And you're right about one thing...this place of splicing is bad news.)"

Gwen's inner self was right. In his lab, Cuvier decides that he won't allow his practice to die and sends his thugs to kill Young. Batman watches the scene from high above using the Batsuit's cloaking, but Tigress detects him by smell and they capture him. For Gwen arriving too late to see her friend was captured.

"(No, Terry!)" Gwen panics to tell her step uncle about it through the intercom. "Uncle Bruce, Terry's been capture...!"

This was really bad. Batman wakes up a bit later to find himself shackled to a metal ring, with Cuvier injecting something into him. As Gwen was listening in, Cuvier explains that Batman has been spliced with some DNA that he saved especially for him and that splicing will 'literally change the world'. Batman breaks his bonds and attacks Cuvier, but becomes woozy because of the effects of the DNA in his system as his splicing starts to take effect. Though Cuvier attacks him with his claws, Batman manages to fly out of the lab before heading in the direction of Sam's house to save him.

"Gwen, go after Terry to try stopping him to save Barbara and Sam." Bruce tells her. "He's going to transform! Hurry while I work on an antidote Megan has set up for me."

She transforms to secretly flying on out before other Splicers could find her with their animal instincts.

"Okay, Uncle Bruce. Please hurry..." she transforms into Batwoman. "Burning Passion! Batwoman!"

For Batwoman to have some fire power on her to be real, she follows where Batman was going to.

"Alright, Gweny, leave this to me. If I have to beat up your boyfriend, do forgive me a little."

"(How's he my boyfriend if he's dating Dana?)" Gwen questions her other half.

Well, about that part...

"He's having second thoughts I bet." she said back.

Could that be true...? Maybe...Out at Sam's house, Barbara tells Sam he should relax but he is determined to put Cuvier out of commission. The three spliced thugs arrive and attack. Barbara is able to fight off Tigress but she and Sam are soon captured. Fortunately, Batman arrives and attacks the thugs. Strangely, he says nothing, and the only sounds to come out of him are growls. He violently attacks the thugs and starts foaming at the mouth.

"Batman?" Barbara as confused.

Batwoman arrives in time to warn Barbara and Sam to stay back.

"Barbara! Sam! Don't even think about talk to him right now, Dr. Madman has just Splice up Batman!"

"He did what?" shock Sam.

The spliced trio leave, thinking the out-of-control Batman will finish their mission. Realizing that he's becoming too great a danger to Sam and Barbara, Batman snaps out of his rage and leaves the house in a hurry. Batwoman soon goes after him.

"(Terry!)" Gwen was worried. "(You two stay put, we'll handle this!)"

"Follow that bat!"

Off they go again. At the Batcave, Bruce has just finished making an antidote for splicing 'thanks to Megan's help' when he gets a call from Barbara who tries to warn him of Terry's condition. However, Bruce becomes distracted when he notices Ace growling, signaling trouble. And Batwoman arrives in time to aid her uncle and Ace.

"Gwen?" confused Bruce.

She was on fire today.

"Hey, Wayne, you and your dog better stay behind me...Its Terry and he's about to go all bats-up if you don't have the cure done for him. He's already in the Batcave." Batwoman tells Bruce.

Terry arrives now greatly resembling the Man-Bat. Another one? Ace attacks him and is hurled away. Batwoman fights him head on using fire to try to pin down Terry.

"(Terry, please snap out of it! It's me, Gwen!)"

But he had trouble fighting back to scratch Batwoman to throwing her down to the ground really hard.

"Ouch!" Batwoman said in pain.

Terry then attacks Bruce who only manages to escape thanks to Ace's intervention and Gwen's fire to set the suit on fire for a bit to holding him as long as she could.

"Hold him, Gwen!" Bruce tells her.

After escaping, Bruce hits him with a dart filled with the cure for splicing.

"Hey, Gweny, calm down." said Batwoman. "I think we got Terry back to normal. Bruce, got tel the Commissioner that all is well again."

That was a close one. When Terry awakens, his suit is badly damaged, and he learns that Cuvier spliced him with an overdose of vampire bat serum and that Sam survived the attack. For Ace to be growling at Terry/Batman still, Gwen calms her friend down.

"(Ace, no. Terry's cured now, see? No growling. Bad dog. Now stay. Stay...)" she gets to him. "(Good.)" Gwen then hugs Terry. "(Welcome back, Terry, you had us worried.)"

He likes the hug to smell her hair.

"Thanks..." he snaps out of it. "Oh, right! Dr. Cuvier-!"

"I cured you." Bruce said. "You're welcome."

"Nice to see you too." Terry said to Bruce.

For this mess to happen, at least Sam was fine to not see Batman going all animal monster-like but Barbara.

"I can't say I blame him." said Bruce.

Terry also sees Gwen to be a bit scratch up to have a cleaned.

"Gwen! I'm so sorry! Does it hurt?"

"You're lucky we're still alive if it wasn't for Ace the Wonder Dog!" Batwoman added. "But we'll live."

This was nothing to Gwen at all.

"(And its fine, Terry, it was an accident. It doesn't hurt, I was more worried about you.)"

Now that Cuvier has committed an act of aggression he's wanted by the law but has gone into hiding. Bruce deduces that Cuvier will be much more dangerous now and they need to stop him. He then notices that Terry still has one of Cuvier's claws stuck in his suit from the fight at the lab.

"Ew! It came from the man's nails." Batwoman made a joke.

"Too bad this won't be enough to find him."

Maybe so, Terry, but not to Bruce to think on another plan in mind.

"Not us, but..." he looks at his dog.

This isn't necessarily of any use to Bruce, Gwen, or Terry, but Ace just might be able use it to find him.

"(Its our best chance we have left, Uncle Bruce.)" said Gwen. "(I knew Splicing was a bad idea. I'm just happy Barbara or Sam's not hurt.)"

Using the claw to keep Cuvier's scent, Batman (with his suit repaired) and Batwoman to have the same thing, both have Ace track the evil doctor to a taxidermy facility.

"Look, wonder-dog, I don't like you, you like Gwen, and you don't like me, but how 'bout cutting' me a break this one time?" Batman tells Ace. "Bad guy. You find, we stop. Got it?"

And they follow Ace on where the scent of Cuvier and the other chimeras were coming from. Good dog. Looks like they've found them hiding at an old studio building.

"Good dog." Batwoman gives Ace some credit.

Now Ace stays put for Batwoman and Batman do the rest to getting inside of the place.

"Good bad dog." Batman said.

For Cuvier was mad for not having Sam killed to take out his anger one of of his henchmen.

"We tried to kill DA Young, but Batman..." Ramrod tries to explain.

"Forget Batman! It was your weakness that ruined my plan!"

Once again, Tigress detects Batman's smell and the thugs attack. Batman and Batwoman fights with them – from snake 'Batwoman burns his mouth', tiger 'Batwoman also stops her with Batman's help to tag team fight and then open fire', and the last to be the ram to go down last 'Batman handles with this one easily'.

"No! I'll never go back to being a nobody!" Batman throws Ramrod to a wall then shoots him with antidote.

"Have a dose of reality, pal." he shoots at Ramrod. "You're gonna need it."

And now the three trouble making teens were all cured.

"One. Two. Three. That's all of them looking like humans again." said Batwoman. "With one more mad doctor to go."

The search goes on for the two try to find Cuvier next.

"We fixed your pets, Doc! Now it's just you and us two! So come out and face Batwoman and me, man, woman, to freak show!"

"(Careful, Batman, he's here somewhere...)" Gwen feels Cuvier to be hiding. "(In fact, I don't think he's more than human anymore on what he just took a lot of Splicing.)"

From lots of tubes to be empty all over the ground, it can only mean one thing.

"Are those other juices that turn people into animal-like humanoid monsters?" Batwoman didn't like the look of this. "Oh, no he didn't!"

While Cuvier injects himself with several doses of DNA.

"Cuvier?" surprised Batman.

"(He turned himself into a true Chimera monster.)" and Gwen.

After a short fight, Batwoman tries to use the gadgets to hold the Chimera man down somehow leaving Batman as he manages to cure his attackers and heads out to face Cuvier.

"Look at me! The abilities of the entire animal kingdom are at my command! What can one blind little bat do against that?"

Batwoman sees a box full of other juices for Batman to use against Cuvier.

"(Use these, Batman! Give the doctor a taste of his own medicine!)"

And so, he does.

"You know what I can do against you, doc? The best I can!" he injects a lot into Cuvier.

However, when Batman reaches him, he discovers that Cuvier has further mutated himself into what he claims to be a 'true chimera', that is, a mix of several animals; particularly, a hawk, a tiger, and a snake. Cuvier's new mutated form proves to be a formidable opponent but Batman grabs several more tubes of DNA and injects them into his enemy. Hard to reach for the rest, Batwoman steps in to blind the beast with her fire to force his mouth to open with her staff.

"My turn to shine." she throws a lot at Cuvier's mouth. "Open wide and say ah!"

Cuvier mutates even further into a giant creature that no longer resembles any living being. Now even stronger, he captures Batman and prepares to eat him, but Ace intervenes.

"(Its Ace!)"

Unfortunately, Ace is also captured by the creature but Batman manages to save him.

"Don't touch my dog!" angered Batman.

Afterward, the creature hits a power cable and ignites some gasoline leaving Gwen to put Cuvier out of his misery.

"(You hurt others and my friends to turn into monsters, so lets see how you like it when you suffer the most!)" she fires away. "(This is for hurting my friend and trying to kill my dog!)"

Batman, Batwoman, and Ace escape, and Cuvier is presumably killed by the ensuing explosion.

"And you are...out of here!" Batwoman said to be cheering with joy.

Later, Barbara thanks Terry and Gwen for their help, but advises that he give up being Batman, which he still refuses.

"Sorry, Barbara, but that's not going to happen."

"Same here." said Gwen. "Look, even if you're not my real Mom, Barbara, can we still hang out with Sam too?"

Barbara smiles to not mind it at all.

"I don't see why not. I can't be a mother to you, Gwen, but I can be a guardian."

It's a deal!

"I would like that very much." Gwen then pats Ace to get kisses from him. "Oh, Ace. You're such a good boy. I knew you and Terry would get a long soon enough, and you are."

Then Terry says that though the rewards are small, sometimes they are worthwhile, as he pets Ace, who finally shows some affection for Terry.

"I knew you would like me, Ace." he said to holding Gwen hands. "Gwen, I really didn't mean to hurt you when I was a vampire bat."

All was forgiven, that wasn't him during the time.

"Its fine, Terry, I forgive you."

"Good to know, huh boy?" Terry pats Ace.

All was good to have a partner dog like Ace on the team, huh? He's smart, loyal, strong, and friendly. And for Splicing was so not a thing for others as the three teens got arrested and others to get cured in time, it goes to show that like Cuvier just did and more for an overdose to destroy his humanity – the lesson is to never become something you're not. From human into a humanoid animal type of chimera was a no go at all. For Gwen Grayson was not affected from it one bit so that was good.


	14. Earth Mover

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 14 – Earth Mover

It's a quiet night out and Terry is finally getting some studying done with his friends Dana, Gwen, and Jackie.

"I'm that good at this."

"Way too good." said Dana to check on how Gwen was doing. "Still having a hard time, Gwen?"

"I was never good at these things. I pay attention in school, yes. But the rest I always get nervous." she said.

"I can always help you study if you want." Terry tells her.

For Dana to shove her boyfriend aside to say this.

"We're both helping her, remember? Studying together help out a lot." Dana is skeptical of Terry's ability to multiply without a calculator, but when she asks her friend Jackie to punch it into a calculator, Jackie wasn't listening. "Hey, Jackie, maybe you can help out Gwen while I get some help from my man...Ah, Jackie?"

When asked if there is anything wrong, Jackie explains that she feels like she's being stalked but she never sees anyone.

"I think...someone has been following me."

"Following you?" Dana was lost. "By whom?"

"Do you know of this person?" Gwen asks Jackie. "I hope it's nothing serious."

Jackie tells the three on what's been happening.

"I don't know...I get this bad feeling. Yesterday was in the backyard...today was on the soccer field. But when I look around, no one's there." she said.

And for Gwen's inner self to question her about who it might be...

"(Let me a guess, is it a ghost of some kind?)"

Outside, an unidentified man approaches the house. However, no one notices at the moment, as they are more concerned with the fact that Jackie calls her guardian 'Bill' instead of 'dad'. When Bill leaves, Gwen felt something or someone was here.

"I feel it!" she points out. "Outside of this house right now! (It could be Jackie's stalker!)"

Terry notices the stalker outside and goes after him.

"Someone is. You three stay put!"

The stalker quickly runs and somehow manages to slip under a fence. Still, Terry is able to reach him, but is surprised to find that whatever it is he caught isn't human. After tackling the creature, it breaks up on the road. Gen catches up to him and felt the stalker disappeared out of nowhere. Or rather, it was part of dirt of some type o living creature.

"Terry! Did you get it?" she asked.

"No, it crumble into dirt." Terry shows Gwen. "It was alive, and now it's not."

With Gwen touching it, she felt something to be part of something that was alive and in control of the grounds itself.

"We better tell Uncle Bruce about this."

Terry and Gwen take a sample of the creature to Bruce who says that the sample is nothing more than 'soil, plain old dirt'.

"Interesting." said Bruce

"More like something out of a sci-fi movie to me, Uncle Bruce. Well, that and a horror film...Not much into it." Gwen said.

For ther to say that, Terry was telling Bruce it was something else for them to see up close.

"Interesting? That's all you can say?" he questions Bruce. "It was unbelievable!"

"A word I rarely use. And the soil you both have given me was plain old dirty."

Gwen feels it out again to know that something was up.

"Yes, it is now but it wasn't earlier." she said.

Megan was hanging around with her husband to get something to hack into the dirt parts on her own.

"Let me see...Hmmm..." Megan looks at it carefully. "I can try to get a sample out of it a little, it might take some time. Come on, Bruce, they might be on to something here."

Megan was right.

"It was alive." Terry added.

All the same, he tells both Gwen and Terry to keep an eye on Jackie.

"Alright. If you two saw something, you know it's not the end of it right?"

"Good point, Uncle Bruce. Terry, we better watch on Jackie." said Gwen. "I have a feeling that whatever's stalking her, it could be trouble and not normal."

Back at school, as Jackie was part of the cheerleader group to talk to Dana...

"If I spent as much time studying as I do practicing my cheers, I'd actually have an education by now." she said to Dana.

"A girl's gotta have her priorities." Dana made a joke for them to laugh together.

Terry talks to Jackie for Dana and Gwen to help her out too about the incident and says that one of her father's enemies could be responsible.

"From the stalker who got away, something seems off about it."

"Why you keep calling it a it?" Dana asks.

Gwen couldn't tell everyone about her powers but Bruce, Barbara, Megan, and Terry to know about it.

"Ah... (Think of something, Gwen!) I don't know, I get this feeling too like you do, Jackie." she makes it up a little.

"And the person was covered in dirt and nothing else." and then Terry. "That's about it. But, Jackie, you sure your father didn't have people who hated him?"

Jackie tells Terry that Bill's not her father and refuses to say any more.

"Not at all."

Bill shows up shortly afterward and agrees to give Dana, Gwen, and Terry a ride, but insists on showing them something.

"Come on, I want to show you all something first before giving you three a ride home." said Bill.

He takes the trio to a vacant lot, which he plans to buy and build a new factory upon.

"An open field, Bill?" Jackie was confused.

"Not just an open field, this spot will be my new factory to built around it to make it better."

As he tells them about his plans, an earthquake starts up, causing the ground to crack and belch out several canisters of an unidentified chemical. For Gwen to sense something similar to her powers too, it happens again.

"(Again?) Look out! More danger!"

More dirt men start appearing and attack the group for Terry goes flying for Gwen to find him on foot, and then uses her fire power to save his life from getting hit hard.

"Gwen, let's hurry it and get to them before the dirt men do." he said.

"Okay." Gwen transforms. "(I just know something's up to remind my of myself, for this person to use its powers for bad.) Burning passion! Batwoman!"

Batman and Batwoman arrived to help out the other three 'leaving Dana to make her get away first' and the two fight the dirt creatures; but soon discovers that the ground itself is against them both and is pummeled. Using some fire power with no affect to it.

"Hey!" angered Batwoman. "This is so unfair! Ah, Batman, what can do? Its us against the world...Literally!"

However, when Jackie and Bill escape in the car, the dirt men stop attacking and return to the ground.

"It happened again." said Batman to feel out the dirt in his hands.

Gwen/Batwoman tries to feel something out from it.

"(If I'm not mistaken, the creature's after Bill a lot more to have something to do with Jackie herself. But why is that?)"

For Bruce to hear about this earthquake thing for Megan has something for Bruce to see.

"I got something, Bruce, a DNA match to the chemicals mix in with the dirt." she gives the rest to her husband.

"This type of toxic waste can really mess up someone's DNA. Far worse in your creation, Gwen."

It makes sense for the two to hear that part.

"Only this one's not as friendly than Gweny's own powers to have more control over, right?" Batwoman asks. "Now you tell us."

"And what about it?" Terry/Batman asks Bruce.

"There was an ancient to happen from an big earthquake that change everything. Don't you read the news?" he asks the two. "It was only ten years ago."

Not to Gwen to not pay attention to the news a lot and Terry was a kid back then.

"I was seven."

"(And I don't like the world to learn about some of the things...)" said Gwen. "(Then did something happen between this Tony person and Bill back then?)"

"That could be the case." Megan added.

And there was another important question to be asked next.

"What did you two find out from your friend Jackie?"

"Not much, only that Wallace isn't her real father." Terry answers back.

For Megan to check for Bill and Jackie aren't retaliative from the family DNA scan.

"He's right, Bill's a guardian to Jackie since her real father ass away." she said.

Bruce sees that now.

"Not her father. Now that's interest..." he stops to say something else instead. "um, promising."

Now Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman have to figure out this problem and fast. As Bill desperately tries to leave while Jackie asks a bunch of questions that he refuses to answer. Just then, a figure appears in the shadows and Bill cries out apologies to 'Tony', which was the name of Jackie's father.

"Tony?"

The figure turns out to be Batman and Batwoman too, and Jackie demands to learn what's going on.

"Hello!" said Batwoman. "Relax, kid, we're on your side. Its Bill we wish to talk about for Batman and me to know what did happen to this Tony person. Care to tell the rest of the class?"

"I want to know what's going on too."

For Bill to soon break down and started to cry.

"I didn't know..." he said in tears. "I didn't know!"

"We know, and we like to learn more." said Batman.

"Bill, tell me everything." and Jackie.

Bill explains about an incident that occurred ten years ago: Bill was just starting his company and had to get rid of toxic waste. However, he couldn't afford to do it the way he was supposed to. He discovered a sealed mine shaft and buried the waste there. However, a friend of his named Tony was reluctant. Bill offered him a partnership to convince him to cooperate and it worked. Tony went into the mine to oversee the lowering of the canisters, but one of the canisters got snagged and caused a cave in. Tony was buried in the cave in and the canisters ruptured. He was covered in the toxic waste. Bill figured he was dead and took Jackie in to make up for his mistake.

"(So that's what happen to be barely alive...like a zombie.)"

"You mean a toxic type of zombie." Batwoman added in for Gwen.

Man, that had to be sad for it to happen, huh?

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner, Bill?" Jackie asked.

"You were young back then...And it wouldn't break Tony back."

"But he is back, isn't he?" Batman questions Bill.

After Bill finishes his story, Batman explains that the waste scrambled Tony's DNA with the earth itself and thereby made him part of the planet.

"(That explains why I felt the man's DNA all over the area.)" said Gwen.

The ground begins to shake again and the trio instantly knows it's Tony.

"He's after me...I'm sorry!"

Runs off to leave Jackie in this type of mess? Now that just wrong!

"Wait!" Batman and Batwoman try to stop him.

Figuring that Tony is after him alone, Bill tries to drive off, but a hole opens in the ground and he falls in. Batman and Batwoman go after him but fails to save him.

"Batwoman! The house!"

"Oh, crap!"

As Batman ponders his next move with Batwoman's help, the entire house, with Jackie still inside, sinks into the ground.

"(Jackie! Jackie!)" Gwen was panicking. "(I know she's still alive somewhere...down below the grounds. We have to go save her.)"

Using a Bat-Submarine, the two crime fighting duo go under water to dig under ground to find Jackie, while trying not to get crushed from the earth's roots. Jackie wanders out of the house and finds that she's been taken to a large underground cave. While exploring, she discovers a corpse half-buried in the ground surrounded by metal canisters. She instantly recognizes this creature as her father and greets him. He talks with her for a short while, but becomes enraged when he hears she thinks that what happened to him was an accident. After Jackie mentions Bill, Tony gets even angrier and releases him. Bill apologizes but to no avail: Tony believes that he didn't want a partner, arranged the 'accident', and stole his daughter. He then proceeds to cause Bill to sink into the ground and has one of his dirt men grab Jackie when she tries to save him. Fortunately, Batman and Batwoman arrive shortly thereafter.

"Batman? Batwoman?" surprised Jackie.

"You heard him, let her go!" said Batman.

Trying to use some magma power from Batwoman to stop the dirt army in fighting skill to cover her body with like a hot shield.

"Better do what they say, boys. Because I got a lot of magma within me and I'm not afraid to use it on all of you...!"

Enraged at the intrusion, Earthmover summons a small army of dirt men, but Batman and Batwoman are equipped to deal with them.

"Stop them..." cry out the Earthmover.

Batwoman takes down a few more.

"(Be careful!)"

"Please, Gweny, do you know who you're talking to?" she gets a few more to burn out. "Piece of cake."

They fight the dirt men with a spinning blade and rescues Bill by tossing him into the underground river next to the sub he came in.

"(Batman!)" Gwen tells him to save Bill right away.

With Jackie's help, both she and Batman rescue Bill in time from being buried under.

"We got him!"

Earthmover isn't about to give up however, and summons a giant dirt man which grabs Jackie before she can escape. The dirt giant also grabs Batman and Batwoman, but he breaks t save his partner's life as the canisters around Earthmover, causing the chemicals to soak the creature and cause it enough pain to make it lose its concentration.

"(That's it! That's his weakness!)" Gwen said to have Batwoman blow up a few other ones "(Keep firing!)"

The dirt giant's hands break apart and Batman takes Jackie to his sub and Batwoman grabs Bill to get out of the place right away.

"Next stop, freedom!" Batwoman makes a joke.

The three try to escape, but a huge boulder falls in the way of their escape route. Batman tries to use his last torpedoes on the boulder but it's too strong. However, Gwen uses her powers like Megan's to reach out to Earthmover.

"(Stop this, Tony! Please! You shouldn't be doing this! Bill's sorry I know that deep down you love your daughter Jackie, so let us go! Do it for her at least!)"

Fortunately, Earthmover still loves his daughter and uses the last of his strength to send out tentacles of earth to crush the boulder.

"Jackie!"

Batman then pilots the sub out of the cave. Meanwhile, Earthmover sees that his dirt giant is about to fall on him and decides to submit. The giant falls, tearing him from his prison at last, causing him to die. Gwen feels Tony to be no more now...

"What happened?" Bill asked.

"(Its over...I reaches out to him and he saved us all, but with a sacrifice he did...)" Gwen sounded sad. "(It had to be done. He ended his own life for us.)"

In the sub, Jackie feels bad about her father, but after Batman tells her that Earthmover is nothing more than a ghost, she finally accepts Bill as her new dad.

"My father..." said the sad Jackie.

"He's not your father." Batman said to her. "Not really, he's...a ghost."

For Bill promises Tony to watch over Jackie as a good father he is to not make the same mistake in the future anymore. As Batman and Batwoman swim back up to shore for Gwen does go with her powers to sense thing and fire, her other half Batwoman knows on what it was like to lose someone they care about.

"What happens in the past, stays within the past. To hopefully move on to a better future tomorrow. Like you, Gweny, she would've wanted you to."

From Blight sister that is to never forget, no matter how much the past comes to haunt you a lot.


	15. Joyride

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 15 – Joyride

A small gang of Jokerz ride out of Gotham City on their way to initiate Lee, a new member of the gang. On their way out they are buzzed by a highly advanced flying vehicle that races overhead.

"Ha, ha, ha!" one pilot laughs. "First thing they're going to do when they get back to Gotham is tell their buds that martians are coming."

"Second thing. First they got to get their pants cleaned." and the second one made a joke.

Though they are startled, the Jokerz continue on. Meanwhile, the pilots of the vehicle laugh over their antics until they are contacted by the vehicle's inventor: Dr. Price. She asks them to report the numbers on the various gauges and suddenly becomes agitated when she hears the fuel temp. She orders the pilots to abandon the vehicle and get as far from it as possible. The Jokerz take Lee to an abandoned mine shaft for his initiation, first putting some clown makeup and a fake nose on him. Lee, who is new to the Jokerz, is a little apprehensive about what they're going to do with him. But before the initiation begins, the vehicle lands nearby. As the pilots emerge, the Jokerz easily take them out and jump into the vehicle.

"It is a U.F.O., isn't it?" ask Coe.

"Wake up, Coe!" said Scab. "All the writing's in English."

The other Jokerz clown member does it get it at all.

"You can read?!"

After fiddling with the controls and realizing it is equipped with weapons, Scab decides to take it for the Jokerz. As the gang flies back to the city, Scab receives an urgent call from Dr. Price, telling them they have to return the vehicle immediately. He refuses to listen to her and cuts off the call before she can tell him why. In the city, Scab picks up the rest of the gang, and takes them on a joyride around town. First they go to a Bee Fee Burger restaurant and get free food at gunpoint, giving a demonstration of the craft's weapons first. For some meat juices were falling all over the place, even on Gwen's hair.

"Ah!" she didn't like it at all. "Hey, gross...I wanted to just relax for today, but not like this."

For her and Terry to be hanging out to see who was responsible for this mess.

"That's because the Jokerz Gang's causing problems." Terry happens to be at the restaurant and calls in the Batmobile to pursue them as they leave. "Gwen, you know what to do. Suit up. I'll get the Batmobile ready to take flight."

For that to be coming to them, Terry to go as Batman, and so does Gwen to transform into Batwoman right away.

"Okay, then we'll hang out later. Burning Passion! Batwoman!"

Gwen transforms for her other self takes over to have a little fire show to stop the bad guys.

"Jokerz again, huh?" she said to be up in flames and ready. "It's show time."

For this was a race battles in the skies from good against evil.

"Hey, Bats, you two wanna race?" Scab mocks them both.

With Gwen letting Megan know about this mess...

"(Terry, I told Megan what was going on. Maybe she can give us information.)"

And then Terry/Batman tells Bruce about it.

"I think it's some sort of military vehicle: real fast and maneuverable."

With Bruce busy to be doing something to hearing about it and Megan working on something to learn about the vehicle, he tells Gwen and Terry to get the job done.

"So stop them." he said.

"Just do what you guys always do." and Megan.

Same as always...

"That's easy for you to say." Terry said to them.

The Batmobile gives chase, but the vehicle is faster and more heavily armed, and the Jokerz manage to shoot them down.

"(The Batmobile's on fire!)" Gwen panics. "(I better use my powers.)"

And she does to put the fire out and protect Batman from the dangerous flames.

"I love these powers. And...you're welcome." said Batwoman to check on her partner. "Look, Gweny, your boyfriend's still breathing."

This made Terry blush when Batwoman said it about him and Gwen.

"Well, I mean...girlfriend might be...Ah, man..."

Batman and Batwoman survive the crash, but the Jokerz land and disembark, preparing to finish them off.

"I say we finish them off now."said Scab. "Come on."

Lee, who believed the gang had more honor to it, questions the ethics of the entire gang fighting only two people.

"All of us against two people?" Lee was confused.

However, the 'two people' easily defeats all of them and forces them back into the vehicle.

"Hey, come back here and fight like real clowns! And leaving your friend likes this is a no show!" said Batwoman.

Angered, Scab turns the vehicle's weapons on Batman and Batwoman 'to getting the gang back inside too, who both of them narrowly saved by the timely intervention of Dr. Price, piloting her own vehicle. She takes them both to a safe distance.

"(Say, who saved us?)" questioned Gwen.

For the woman Dr. Prince was the one who saved them.

"You two alright?"

"I think we can still fight." said Batman.

"Good enough." she said.

Before she left, they needed to know what was happening.

"Who are you?" Batman asks Dr. Price.

"That's classified."

"Figures...You are a government person to make something like that type of weapon." Batwoman points out. "People like you can be so pushy sometimes."

Harsh but true.

"(Please be nice...This woman might need our help, Batman.)"

Dr. Price checks up on Batwoman and Batman's health's and they manage to convince her to take them with her.

"The two of us know who jacked your ride. Let us come with you." he said.

I guess she allows them to tag along.

"Jokerz are kids to be madman trouble, I guess you two can help me out." she said. "Let just stop them from using the weapon."

And off they go.

"(I never been on a plane ride before.)"

If they don't find the thing soon, it'll blow up to have a nuclear bomb in it to blow up, bad move! While looking for the Jokerz, Dr. Price reveals that, unknown to the military or the Jokerz, the vehicle is powered by a nuclear reactor, which has been breached and will soon explode. Shortly afterward, they come across a gang of teenagers called the 'T's'. Each member of the gang is horribly injured.

"They don't deserved this, and it'll get worse if nothing's done." said Dr. Price.

No kidding, the Jokerz using it for a their fun wasn't a toy at all.

"Great...and putting it on fire won't do any good for it to blow up, huh?" questioned Batwoman. "Who puts a blow like nuke in a plane from the government?"

Well, no fire will stop it but Batman knows of Batwoman to have other fire style moves to use.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I think you can do more with your fire power skills." he said quietly. "Gwen, you can do anything you set your mind to it."

This makes Gwen her day to trust in Terry to stopping the Jokerz and the ship together. And what Megan made for her, will be easy to use.

"(You're right.)"

A cute moment for them there, something else huh? The Jokerz then celebrate their victory and plan to take out the leader of the T's, Fat T. Again, Lee questions the ethics of using the vehicle's weapons on enemies who can't fight back, but he's dismissed. Dr. Price catches up with the gang and plays 'chicken' with them.

"Them again!" Scab said to be ready for them.

Dr. Price gives Batman a key that will shut down the vehicle's reactor, then ejects him and Batwoman on the vehicle itself.

"Good luck, you two. You're going to be needing it."

And off the crime fighting duo go.

"Bombs away!" shout out Batwoman. "Let's put this gear to the test."

From the two getting up in the air for Gwen has a brand new hand and feet gear to bring all of the heat into it and still fight normally throughout her entire body, all thanks to Megan's hard work to make it for her.

Megan: By producing heat through the hands and feet when not using it all over the entire body in case of anything that could cause anything flammable to blow up, Gwen can bring it down a little to those places only to fight better and move faster to use other fighting moves and gadgets to stop any bad guys in the way. Something that I can up with to lend Bruce a hand, Terry to be thankful to have Gwen live a normal life as a half human she is, and more control over her fire powers. You're welcome by the way.

Scab seems prepared to collide with her vehicle, but Coe forces him to turn. The Jokerz' vehicle only takes minimal damage and they manage to escape, but Dr. Price's vehicle is terribly damaged and she's injured. Lucky for Batwoman had to use some fire powers on this one to absorb and saving her life.

"(Is Dr. Price hurt?)" Gwen asked.

No, the fire was starting to die off thanks to their team work.

"Nah, she'll live." she said. "We made it."

When Batman rushes to her side next, she tells him and Batwoman 'to use her other gear to produce the fire next' to go after the gang.

"Nice job there." said Batman. "We better hurry."

For Dr. Price tells the two to get the job done right away and not to worry about her so much.

"I'll be fine. Hurry and get going."

Having heard the Jokerz' plan from Coe, Batman and Batwoman head off to the T's headquarters and tells everyone to leave.

"As if you'll stop all my my bros." said the young clown boy.

With the two crime fighting duo trying to tell the other members to get out of there right away, like they'll listen at all.

"Everyone out now!"

The gang resists but after some roughing up, they obey.

"You all want to die?!" Batwoman questions them all.

"Hey! No one gives order to Fat T." he said to try to attack them. "Nobody!"

Barely a second later, the vehicle arrives and opens fire on the headquarters.

"(At least we got here first. Let's stop them, Batman.)" said Gwen to be all fired up. "(To the hands and feet the fire will go.)"

As it shoots randomly, with Batwoman having one cable thing on the ground to hand to her partner.

"Guess what's cooking tonight?"

"Let's hold this bad boy down." said Batman.

Batwoman and Batman tie a cable to the vehicle and anchors the other end around a support beam, before tossing gas grenades into the cockpit. The gas causes Scab to panic and try to fly away, but the cable snaps taught and the vehicle crashes.

"(Now's our chance!)"

The rest of the Jokerz flee, but when Batman enters the vehicle to shut down the reactor, Scab attacks, and manages to trap him.

"Gonna finish this now, Bats." he said. "And don't think about being the hero, sweetheart. He'll be dead if you try to do anything funny."

"Idiot! We have to take care of this now before we all die!" Batwoman tells Scab. "Seriously, this isn't funny!"

Batman tries to warn him about the reactor, but Scab refuses to listen, and doesn't seem to notice that the reactor is about to go critical.

"She's right, you'll go too...The reactor is overloading"

"Nice try." he said.

He says the vehicle is his ticket to real power, and he won't give it up. Lee sneaks back in time to hear Scab saying that he doesn't care about the rest of the gang, they were only a 'crutch'; now that he has the vehicle, he doesn't need them anymore. This is the final straw for Lee, who knocks Scab out.

"I quit."

A good way for someone like Lee didn't need to be part of the Jokerz Gang at all, he made the right call.

"Good call." said Batwoman. "Come on, kid, give me a hand here."

Free, Batwoman ties Scab up with a roper carefully while Batman inserts the key and shuts down the reactor. Lee throws off his fake nose in disgust, and quits the gang.

"(We did it!)" said the happy Gwen. "(That was a close one.)"

As Lee, Batwoman, and Batman leave, Scab wakes up and jumps back into the pilot's chair. Without power, the vehicle doesn't respond to his actions, and he breaks down screaming in helpless rage. For Dr. Price to hear the news.

"I'm glad that's all over..."

Even for Batman and Batwoman called it a day.

"Hey, Gwen, maybe later when we get the Batmobile fixed, I can take you for a fun ride." said Terry. "What do you say?"

And her answer was...

"Is it a date?"

"(Hey!)" Gwen was shy. "(I don't see why not, Terry, let's do it.)"

For them to spend time, Scab has nothing now from his gang, Lee was out, the machine was done, and Batman and Batwoman has done it once again 'for Terry and Gwen to hang out a bit more', could this be real love for them? Who knows...Maybe. Other than, never mess with something so dangerous to be power by a nuke, ever! No kidding, for the government to never do that again after tonight.


	16. Lost Soul

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 16 – Lost Soul

A newscast reports the death of Robert Vance, owner and president of a powerful computer company. Knowing that he was dying from an incurable brain disorder, Vance took steps to safeguard his company's future by digitizing his mind into a computer program, to act as a helpful 'advisor' to future owners. It's like some type of sci-fi thriller movie with this type of thing, huh? With Megan to learn so much from Robert's old work to study a lot to hack from his designs today.

"(Robert Vance...Without his work, I wouldn't never try hacking into things from the very beginning.)" she remembers it well. "(Good times, good times.)" Thirty-five years later, in the present, a young man enters Vance Enterprises and re-boots Vance's program. The young man identifies himself as Bobby Vance, the elder Vance's grandson. Bobby is now the owner of the company, the last member of the family after his father died of a heart attack. Bobby is still young and is not sure he can handle the responsibility. Robert reassures him and encourages Bobby to put his program online, and he complies. I don't like where this is going. From Gidget 'Megan old computer friend to have the data t keep but lost the shell man years ago', get a alarm to set off when the Robert program goes on the loose. She couldn't hack into it so much any more to get so help besides her husband Bruce. "Ah, seriously? I'm going to need some help from someone."

And she does, none other than Gwen to be finishing up from aiding her step-uncle Bruce around the place to get a call from Megan.

"Yes? This is the Wayne Residence, who is this who's calling?"

"Gwen, just the person I wanted to talk to." said Megan.

"Hi, Megan, is there something wrong?" she asks.

"There will be without your help. I'll be right over to teach the ways of hacking to things with yours truly. Because something is about to go down involving a man who put his brain into computer systems all over...I'll explain when I get there."

Once Megan hangs up, Gwen was lost on what she meant.

"Learn how to hack?" question Gwen. "Is it illegal?"

With Megan's help maybe...Elsewhere, Dana and Terry share a romantic night up on the roof of a skyscraper. After they decide to leave, they board an elevator that suddenly starts to erratically drop and rise at a dangerous rate just before they were about to kiss. Terry looks out and sees the entire city being affected in much the same manner. Terry manages to stop the elevator and heads off to see Bruce and Gwen.

"Manual? On an elevator?!" questioned Dana since Terry learn something of emergency shut down manually from elevators from back then.

"I better go find Mr. Wayne and Gwen. Dana,I hope you'll be okay taking the stairs." he said.

"I'll be fine, you better be careful." Dana said and then gets out safely.

Once Terry goes to the the Batcave to explain Bruce and Gwen on what's been happening, and for Megan to arrive to help her new friend out so far.

"Hacking into the entire city of Gotham?" Gwen asks Terry. "That sounds scary."

Bruce explains that the program has been hoarding information all over the city's network, causing random device malfunctions.

"its because whoever's doing it, it's causing lots of malfunctions all over." said Bruce.

"Randomness." Terry added.

Still, one can never be too careful even for Megan to say so.

"(If I'm right about who's doing this, then...) I say we investigate this matter at hand before the other parts of the city's machines will put other lives in danger. And the sooner for you, Gwen, to learn the hacking skills from me the better."

Bruce is sure that the program has a hidden agenda and sends Terry and Gwen to stop it.

"We're on it, Uncle Bruce. And yes, Megan, I'll work on the hacking if I need to on what you've taught me so far. I will get my inner self to listen to me." Gwen transforms next. "Burning passion! Batwoman!"

Having the other half to appear for them to use the computer to open the door for the two...Well, nothing was happening.

"Why isn't this working?" Terry/Batman asked.

"The door's not working. I had to shut down the computer when Vance's program tried to get in and thanks to Megan's hackign to place a barrier wall into my systems. If you want out of the cave, you're going to have to do it the old-fashioned way."

They have to go through the metal door to use the lever to lift it up.

"You're kidding."

"Too bad, so sad." Megan made a joke.

"None of the Robins ever complained." Bruce smiled.

For them to do so, Batman and Batwoman take off in the air.

"Anything not plugged in won't get to us in the skies." said Batwoman. "Contact!"

Batman and Batwoman make it to the power plant where the program has taken over, and tries to shut off the power. Unfortunately, the program activates the automated defense systems, making it impossible for the power to be shut down except from the central control.

"(A scary robot to have a mind of its own, Batman, we better be careful. Let's go to stealth mode.)" said Gwen.

Going into stealth mode for the two, Batwoman carefully and quietly melts the machines that were trying to kill them; as Batman manages to sneak in but a stray cat wanders in and alerts the defenses.

"Score one for us, huh Batman?" Batwoman sees the danger he was in. "Ah! Idiot, be careful!"

Batman manages to shut off the power, but is too late to avoid being hit by a laser blast.

"(Is he hurt?)" Gwen talks to Terry/Batman. "(Batman, say something! Batman!)"

Batman gets back up to feel fine.

"I'm good. Thanks for worrying about me, Gwen, how sweet of you."

Believing he is not seriously injured, Batman tells Bruce that the trouble is over, and Bruce orders him and Batwoman out on patrol.

"Hmmm...Strange..."

Megan tries to find ot where Robert was at to have trouble hacking to all of the areas he could be in or trapped in, but she found nothing.

"Megan, what'a wrong?" Bruce asks his wife.

"I'm not so sure, Bruce, but I can't find Vance to be found from the trapped systems after Terry and Gwen shut down the machines he was in." she explains.

"What do you mean?" he asks her again.

Megan shows Bruce what she couldn't find from her computer.

"Yeah, that's the thing. It's like it disappeared somehow, but Vance work can't do that unless he hack through into another program closes to him. But I'm having trouble finding it. I got nothing."

Now that could be a problem. Out in the city, a gang of thieves are attempting to steal from a powerless ATM and Batman and Batwoman manage to stop them.

"You steal, you get a whopping." Batwoman said to let out a little steam.

However, before the two can continue, Batman's suit starts to malfunction.

"Hey! Something's wrong with the suit!"

Batman had trouble moving and such, for Gwen and her other self didn't know what it was since they can't feel out machines, only human or living beings life force.

"(Batman, what's the matter with your suit?)" Gwen checks on her partner.

"Either that, or he finally has broken down to your love, Gweny."

Now's not a good time be joking around.

"(Not now please!)"

Soon it refuses altogether to respond to Terry/Batman's movement, and communications with Bruce are cut off.

"I can't contact Terry." Bruce was having some trouble.

Some rescuing must happen next...

"(What in the heck is going on here? Terry suit can get damaged up from the laser hit he just took.) Maybe you can't, but i can with Gwen."

This might take a while...

"Alright, seriously...Why is your suit going all weird-like? Huh?" Batwoman wonders.

Instead, Terry hears Vance's voice downloaded into the suit by way of the laser blast. Under Vance's control, the suit walks into the ocean, Vance telling Terry along the way that he intends to download himself into a new body.

"And now, I'm in control." he said. "I can do whatever I want with this suit."

This was bad, as Megan contacts Gwen/Batman to do something about it next.

"Gwen, it's me Megan." said Megan. "Listen, whatever is happening to Terry's suit, its a virus of the man Robert Vance has taken hold of it all."

"(Robert Vance?)"

"A while back when he was still alive, he taught me emergency hacking, yes. He own a big computer company to pass away from old age to make things to do so much to hack into anything he can, the laser was the trigger that done it all. I've been wanting to teach you my skills to fight back. Because his grandson's responsible for this mess to set his grandfather loose, if we don't put him away or shut the program down...Then him controlling Terry's suit will hurt others or himself." said Megan to explain everything. "If we're going to save him with the suit, we need to stop Vance right away with your help, Gwen. Bruce, hit the switch!"

Bruce had no other choice to see through Gwen's suit.

"I guess I have no other choice."

Realizing something is wrong, Bruce hits the Batsuit's kill switch, preventing Terry from drowning, but leaving him immobilized in the water as the tide comes in. Gwen had to do something to go into the waters to like her fire abilities if she does go all the way in.

"(Terry!)" she was horrified.

"Stop, Gweny, you'll die from the ocean's waters!"

"It's better than seeing my friend die this way..." she jumps in to feel the pain. "I have to...until Uncle Bruce and Megan arrive to save us...both!"

Just after it covers Terry's head, Bruce arrives personally in the Batmobile and rescues him.

"Real them up, Bruce, we got them." said Megan.

Bringing them back up safe and sound for Gwen to be really hurt to save Terry's life to get air and not drown to his doom was still scary to do, for he was shock on what she has done.

"Gwen!" Bruce was worried.

"Oh, my God. Gwen!" Terry helps her out to get dried up. "Please be okay."

A bit weak and wet all over, but she'll live to go back to normal for now.

"(Reckless, you know that?)"

"I'm good, Terry, I'm glad you're alive and Vance is out of your system." she said with a smile to then have Terry hug her. "What are you doing?"

A sweet way to save each other.

"Saving you for saving me, we'll both keep each other warm." said Terry.

Back in the Batcave, Bruce talks about reprogramming the suit, but he and Terry decide to leave the task until later. Megan will try to do something about it in a bit.

"Since fire won't stop it, Gwen, its up to us hackers to give it a go...Somehow."

As soon as they leave, however, the suit gets up by itself and leaves. Night falls and Bruce, Gwen, Megan, and Terry discover the suit missing.

"(Ah, people...we got a problem. The suit's gone.)" said Gwen's other self.

"Look, we get it." she said. "I can't use my powers right now and Terry's suit is gone with the kill switch no good...The only thing we need to do is to hack through it like you said, Megan, I learn everything you've taught me and I can't stop Vance without destroying the suit completely."

Terry is determined to stop it, but Bruce tries to dissuade him the same with Gwen, saying they are not powerful enough to do it. Donning Nightwing's old mask, Terry explains that he had always wondered to himself what makes Batman: is it him in the suit, or is it the only the suit and the abilities it gives him?

"Sometimes I ask myself, is Batman just the suit, or is the man inside?" said Terry.

He is determined to find out once and for all and seeing that there is no stopping him, Bruce gives Terry his old utility belt.

"This should come in handy for you, Terry." Bruce gives on to him.

"And Gwen, here." same with Megan to give her the hacking bag she needs to hack through with a mask on with eye contacts to hide her looks. "This could be good to use to hide your identity. Better than nothing. I leave the rest of the hacking to you."

The two were all set to go.

"I like like a whole different person."

"It's going to work, Gwen." said Terry. "Try not to use your powers a lot unless you really need to and don't forget..."

"Yes, hacking is all that matters." she says the rest. "We can do this, Terry."

Acting through the suit, Robert finds Bobby in the Vance Enterprises building and injects him with a sedative. On the roof, Terry and Gwen break into the air shafts and makes their way to Vance's lab. He watches as Robert wires Bobby to a machine, explaining that he plans to download his mind into a living body: Bobby's; the process will erase Bobby's mind, but that hardly matters. That's mess up! For Gwen gives the hacking a try out to find one weakness with Vance, he won't work around magnetic parts.

"Magnet." said Terry.

"Yes, that's his weakness." said Gwen. "If we don't stop him right now, he'll be become his grandson forever. (We can't allow for this to happen to take another life from some machine. Vance is me now, but without a soul who needs to be shut down for good. I can do this without using my powers on this one.)"

While examining Bobby, Robert accidentally catches his arm in an electromagnetic field and temporarily loses control of it. Terry and Gwen notice this and now has a plan of attack.

"Please don't do to me..."

"It'll be over soon enough." said Vance.

The transfer begins but Terry and Gwen interrupts it.

"Go into hacking!"

Once Terry said that to Gwen, she puts her skills into the test of hacking into the system on her own.

"Be careful!" she said. "I'm going in."

However, Terry's melee attacks are ineffective against the suit and it activates its stealth mode, then attacks with an exploding batarang that triggers explosives in Terry's belt. Terry hurls the belt at Robert and manages to disable its stealth mode. Terry and Robert fight for a while but the suit is much stronger and nearly invulnerable to damage. So much to keep him busy while Gwen does the rest of the work.

"(Gweny, go for a fire wall.)" said her other half. "(That should work somehow!)"

However, Terry manages to get hold of a sharp steel rod torn from the wall and wraps a power cable around it. But thanks to Gwen's plan to put the suit overheat like to overload to slowing it down...

"No...! What's happening?!"

"A fire wall, nice!" said Megan on the other line. "(I wish I would've thought about that part.) Okay, Gwen, take it away!)

She starts it up to use the strong rod connected to the plug.

"Finish it off!" she said. "(Please let this work. Come on, Terry...)"

This allowed Terry to jam the part into the suit and plugs it into a power outlet, overloading the suit and erasing the program. For Vance's dying words was a sad one to sound like he was reverse aging.

"See ye." said Terry.

The nightmare sci-fi like movie was all over.

"Five hundred megs! A thousand kilobytes! Pi "R" squared! Two plus two equals four. Me first! I wanna play. One potato...two potato...Mama Mama...Ma-ma!"

And from there, he was gone for good and Bobby was saved.

"Thank you..." he said in relief.

"Yes, we did it!" Gwen was happy.

Megan and Bruce hears the news.

"A close one that was huh, Bruce?"

The two hugged and kissed.

"I think Gwen's ready to be another you." he made a joke.

Nice joke there. Later, a newscast announces that Bobby has sold his company to some outside investors. Asked whether he has reservations about giving up his family's company, he responds that he's decided to let his grandfather rest in peace.

While Bruce is reprogramming the suit with Megan's help, Terry asks hopefully whether this means he can have a few nights off.

"This could be a while...Anyways, Gwen, great work."

Another new move for Gwen to learn on her own besides fire power.

"It was nothing, I think I'll get the hang of it real soon." she said. "Anyways...What do we do once the suit gets fix?"

"It'll take some time for Megan and me." said Bruce.

That means some nights off for both Terry and Gwen to hang out.

"I guess we'll be having some fun." he said. "Let's go do something, Gwen."

A date here? Oh, boy...

"Ah...I do want to get out for a while. Okay, Terry." said Gwen.

Bruce, who has upped his estimation of Terry's abilities, states that while the suit is currently out of commission, Batman is not.

"Terry, it's only the suit that's out of commission, not Batman."

He's right for Megan to nod like 'I just go with the flow' type of saying...For Terry to smile for Gwen and him to walk together, for Terry to start to care more than a friend towards Gwen than Dana a lot.

"Ah, Terry..." she was confused.

"You still need to get warm for your powers to get back, for you to rescue me in the waters...I got scared for almost losing you. But you're all right. Thank you."

He does care to do well without his suit today, same with Gwen to get healed up.

"You're welcome..."

A nice team work to do more than being Batman or Batwoman. For it doesn't matter it's man or machine, but what you really are to put a stop to it afterwards if Megan didn't teach Gwen so much on what do and she did. Cool, huh? For Bobby to not be like his grandfather, he made a very right choice after being saved.


	17. Hidden Agenda

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 17 - Hidden Agenda

A businessman rushes to catch up with a vertical train. Once on board, he is terrified to find a gang of Jokerz are the only other occupants. They begin terrorizing the businessman, then their leader, a man in zombie makeup who calls himself 'Terminal' releases a set of vicious, razor-sharp gag teeth, before the Jokerz exit the train. You want to learn more about the group? Megan's got the scoop. Sometimes she does to appear and so on in this series is all.

Megan: Carter Wilson adopted the identity of 'Terminal' and made himself the undisputed leader of a small group of Jokerz. They engaged in the usual terrorizing of random victims, with occasional asides to Wilson's personal agenda. Members -

Tayko is an athletic girl in Terminal's gang. She was there for fun, and liked showing off her athletic skills. She wasn't much of a fighter, but she could defend herself.

At first, Carter seemed to be everything a student could be: smart, handsome, popular, star athlete, class president. Inside, he was morbidly sensitive about his reputation and his sense of achievement; this came from the constant harangues of his cold-hearted mother, who constantly pushed him to be perfect and at the top in everything. At some point, he adopted the alias 'Terminal', along with a frightening costume resembling a weird cross between a zombie and an escaped mental patient. Before long, he had a gang of Jokerz under his personal command whom he dominated through his intelligence and the force of his personality. In part, this may have been his way of rebelling against his mother's strict authority. On the other hand, it was also his unconscious way of lashing out at a world that his mother portrayed as cold and unforgiving to anyone who wasn't 'the best'.

Trey left school at sixth grade to join the Jokerz. Though he had an imposing physique, he wasn't very tough. He helped J-Man in a raid on Club 54 Level, before joining Terminal.

Weasel was known for his high pitched holler. He was part of Terminal's subgroup of Jokerz, but also attended other gatherings. He was armed with a flail, but also carried heavier equipment underneath his coat.

Now back with our story...As the teeth tear at the businessman's clothes, he is driven to the door and falls out into the sky. Batwoman arrives to stop the sharp teeth toys.

"The teeth have been pulled." she said.

Now for the man to save next for Gwen to alert her partner.

"(Batman! He's fall!)"

Batman narrowly saves him.

"I got him...!" falls down to saving the man in time and knowing who was behind it all. "Jokerz..."

"Not those clowns again..." Batwoman complained.

While leaving the scene of the crime, one of the Jokerz, Trey, makes a sarcastic comment, which Terminal responds to by grabbing him by the necklace and dangling him off the edge of a building's roof. Trey hurriedly apologizes, but even the other Jokerz are taken aback by this cold-blooded display from their leader as Terminal walks away. At Hamilton Hill High School, the results for the standardized test, 'GAT', are posted.

"Looks like our GAT's have been posted." said Terry.

Gwen never heard of the word.

"GAT?"

"It stands for grade average totals."

"I don't want to look at mine..." Dana feels a bit nervous. "But it's not like we have a choice."

The top score, a perfect 2400, goes to Maxine 'Max' Gibson, leading many people to speculate that she is the leading candidate for class valedictorian.

"2400?! That's a perfect score!" Terry was surprised.

"Hey, look." Gwen shows them hers. "I got an average one. I'm doing good."

"Yeah...And mine, I'm use to already." said Maxie.

(Terry's test was left incomplete as he had to leave in the middle of an emergency).

"Business happens when you work with Mr. Wayne a lot."

For Terry and Gwen to leave it like that, Maxis finds it to be odd in her point of view.

"Maybe you two fix it al to make it happen some how." she said.

Max modestly brushes off the talk, saying the test score isn't a good indicator of intelligence. For Carter Wilson, the class president came second to Maxie to beat him to see the four to be walking along to say something next.

"Hey, Max, good job on the test scores you got back." said Carter.

"It was nothing really."

She was afraid to admit it for this girl.

"It's one way to get you two to the top somehow." Terry makes a joke.

"Something about Maxie is amazing how she can anything for a smart girl." Gwen admired her. "I feel like I should become best friend with her very much so. Like Megan, I can have another girlfriend."

The next thing for Maxie to show Gwen, Terry, and Dana her latest spare-time pursuit: she has written a program to discover Batman's secret identity, based on an analysis of his physical characteristics and school demographics, the times and locations of his appearances, etc.

"Wow..." surprised Dana. "I'm amazed that you got this much from the hero of Gotham so far, Maxie. But nothing on Batwoman with the burning fire powers?"

"Well, she's cool in my book. So why bother? Batman is where is at to learn more about him. You can say that I'm his biggest fan for the two crime fighting duos."

So far the field of potential candidates is wide, but every time a new piece of data is added, the program continues to narrow down potential candidates.

"(Wait...Maxie might know who Terry could be Batman and not me as Batwoman?) questioned Gwen. "(This could be very bad for us.)"

"I'm not giving up. This Batman could be a gym teacher, a principle, or a student."

Terry is slightly worried for him and Gwen both looked at each other. It was also from that point for Dana to see something was up between the two than just staying as friends...The GAT's second highest score, just short of perfect, goes to Carter Wilson, class president. At home, however, Carter is berated by his mother, who considers anything short of first place equal to failure. Carter mentions that he would have been first except for Max's perfect score, to which his mother sarcastically responds that that makes him the 'first-place loser'. After she leaves his room, Carter applies make-up to his face, revealing that he is Terminal. He calls his Jokerz to do a job. That's not good! They break into the school, destroying the computers containing the GAT results. Terminal also looks at the school's grade records and finds that Max is indeed the front-runner for valedictorian. He attempts to delete these records, but his access is blocked. The next day, Hamilton High students find the vandalism, complete with Jokerz tagging.

"(What a mess!)" said Gwen's inner self for her and Terry are the only ones who can see and hear the spirit flame look alike. "(You two get the feeling it's all done from the other group of Jokerz calling themselves something...Terminal...I think? Just be on a look out, Billionaire old man Bruce Wayne might say the same thing than just me.)"

"I guess a lot of them try to mess with the GAT screens last night." Dana tells the others.

And Maxie was already aware about the gang.

"Jokerz...Stupid..."

"At least no one was harm, right?" said Gwen.

With a lot of spray paint to say the least, but no one was hurt at all.

As Max, Terry, Gwen, and Dana discuss the crime, Max speculates that the crime appears to have been targeted at someone specific, meaning the leader may be another student.

"They must be after someone from here." Terry took a wild guess. "Who knows who it might be in our school."

"They're students?" question Maxie.

Could be the case, then yes for both Terry to say and for Gwen to have a bad feeling about it.

"At least one of them is."

Maxie soon realizes who the target is when she finds a booby trap in her locker for Gwen to sense out and saves her friend.

"Duck!" she pushes Maxie away. "(And that was a close one...A pie in face with a brick inside of it.) Ah, Maxie...?"

"I'm okay. Wow, Gwen, you're like some type of physic person to know these things to do something about is amazing." she tells Gwen.

A nice thing for Maxie to say to Gwen.

"I just have a strange feeling is all..."

Max plans to adapt her identification program to find out who the Jokerz' leader is. On the next night, the Jokerz appear outside the high school and flee when the Batmobile appears.

"Hi, boys and girls." said Batwoman. "Trick or defeat?"

"Ooh, look who's playing hall monitor!" Tayko said.

For Batwoman to come flying down from her fire power and Batman out of the Batmobile.

"Care to explain what you're doing on school grounds?" Batman demands to know.

"Actually...no!" said Trey to start throwing bad water balloons at the two.

Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman gives chase back into the Batmobile, allowing Terminal to slip inside where Max is working late. Catching up with the Jokerz, Terry and Gwen see one of them wearing Max's student pass, and realizes who their target is.

"(This is bad, Batman...)" Gwen was worried about Maxie. "(If we don't save her now, Terminal will do something far more than having pranks left out on her.)"

"Then we better get a move on!"

You heard Batwoman, let's move on out! At the school, Terminal appears on the monitors, taunting Max, and the school's cleaning robots are reprogrammed to attack her, spraying deadly acid. Batman and Batwoman arrive back just in time to save her to leave next to helping out Maxie.

"Batwoman? Batman?"

"Heads up, kid!" said Batwoman.

What a close call that was, huh? The next morning, Max is surprised when the program comes up with a list of six names: one of them were Gwen and Terry.

"Wait...Gwen was here? When? And Terry...? A Joker?"

Max becomes even more suspicious when Terry catches up with her and tells her that she should abandon her investigation, though he is actually speaking out of concern for her safety.

"Let's go, Terry." Dana pulls her boyfriend to get to class.

For Terry to relay Gwen a message that something was on Maxie's mind.

"Gwen, try to watch on her in case the Jokerz come back."

"Got it." she said. "Say, Maxie, did I ever tell you how cool you are?"

"Who me?" said Maxie. "I'm just me is all. With a lot going on to put me in a tight spot like this."

"It'll be fine whatever happens next. With Batwoman and Batman around with friends like us too, what do you got to lose? (Still, I feel some confusion coming from Maxie's feelings about Terry. Does she know?)" worried Gwen. "(I better see she might be mistakenly thinking about...)"

The next night, Maxie emails Terry, telling him that she knows his 'secret', and ordering him to a meeting in the park. He had to tell Gwen about it to be on high alert.

"Gwen, we got a problem. Get ready to become Batwoman if the Jokerz show up again to hurt Maxie." he said.

She understood to be ready for them this time.

"I'll be right there, Terry."

"(I kinda saw this part coming of this Max girl knowing about you two soon enough. She's good.)" said Gwen's inner self.

Seeing the message, Terry dons the Batsuit in a panic and flies to the park for Gwen to rush over there too once she transforms into Batwoman.

"Burning passion! Batwoman!"

At the park, Max is confronted by Terminal and his Jokerz. Now Terminal plans to kill her. She calls him 'Terry', and he laughs it off. Realizing she was wrong, Max tries to run, but they catch her.

"Nowhere to run off now, Maxie, who do you think will save you?" Terminal questions her.

"Me." Batman kicks Terminal.

With some fire coming out to stopping the other three, Batwoman also arrives.

"And me too!"

Batman and Batwoman both made it just in time and fight off the Jokerz. And Maxie stopping one of them on her own.

"Come out, come out, wherever you..." Max is right there, and hits Trey over the head with a garden pipe - unfortunately, only breaking the pipe). "Why, you little...!"

With Batman stopping Weasel and Batwoman doing the same against Takyo to do well together. However...Terminal is a handful for the two crime fighting duo.

"Did you two Bats forget about me? You got Max, Trey?"

He has her trapped.

"(Maxie!)" Gwen panics.

"I got her." he said to is boss.

And now...It was Maxie's turn to save their lives after saving hers since Maxie knows of Batwoman was weak to water.

"Batwoman, heads up! Water ball coming down!" Maxie warns the super heroine hero.

As Max breaks free of her captor and shuts down a nearby fountain, causing the ball suspended on top to fall and roll, knocking Terminal into the fountain and scattering the rest of the Jokerz.

"Wipe out." said Batman.

"Thanks for the warning, kid, I like you." Batwoman helps the others pull Terminal out of the waters. "Let's see who you really are, you freak!"

Terminal's makeup washes off, revealing his true identity.

"Carter...?" shock Maxie. "Carter Wilson?"

With that, Batman and Batwoman leave for Maxie to call the police next.

"(Carter Wilson will not be president of the high school now after trying to kill Maxie.)" said Gwen to tell Terry something else next. "(Ah, Terry, I think she might know who we are...We might have to tell her. She's smart, strong, and I think she can keep our identities a secret. Wouldn't you say?)"

Maybe so, for Maxie to be smart enough to do so. She was trust worthy. The next day, the students discuss the news of Carter's arrest. Terry speaks to Max in private with Gwen joining in too. She says she was wrong, a mistake in her programming led to the computer spitting out the wrong name—to her chagrin, Carter wasn't even on her list of possible Jokerz—but she reveals that he was.

"Between you or Gwen, there was one of the options."

The two looked at each other to worry again.

"Come on, Terry, it'll be fine." Gwen said. "(Please trust us, Maxie, I really want to become friends with you.)"

Surprised, Terry asks does she really think that and although Max admits she did at first, she reveals that she now knows that Terry is really Batman.

"Wait, Max, you don't think-!"

"I thought to be wrong of the first part, but now I know..." she does the bat ears. "I knew it was you, Terry. And you, Gwen, from the fire powers you have as Batwoman and your body to withstand any heat, I found out a long time ago."

And for that, Gwen shows off Maxie her fire powers for show very carefully.

"(How did she know...?)" shocked Gwen's inner self. "(Again, I like her.)"

"Alright...Look, Maxie, I want for us to hang out. But if you want to say we are them..." she does a fire trick. "Keep this a secret from others to not knowing please."

Nice skills!

"Wow! I knew you have something special about you, Gwen! Tell me more."

And she does with Maxie to learn all about it.

"And...What are you going to do about us?" Terry asks her next.

Apprehensive, Terry asks what she's going to do. Max reveals she'll keep his secret, while deciding to cover her tracks so that no one else well will discover the truth. However, Terry assures her the situation is taken care, revealing a 'friend' has helped cover their tracks. Being Bruce Wayne himself and Megan backing him up.

"Oh, thanks...But how?"

"A friend with another who are in love are good at keeping things covered up." Terry said. "If you join us, Max, this will change everything."

"Maybe it's a good thing." said Maxie.

True, but she still needs to be careful about it all.

"If you know what you're doing, Maxie, to help us out...Then please do so." Gwen advise her friend on a good tip to remember.

Terry points out this changes everything between them, but Max believes it's for the better as now he has someone he can talk to that knows his and Gwen's secret and mentions she can help them whenever they need it.

"I'll be careful, Gwen. For you and I to hang out a lot to get to know each other and your powers...I like this." Maxie said with a smile.

Looks like Gwen was alright with all of this for Terry to know of his friend was right about things that are not bad. Terry is confused until Dana arrives angry as they had plans to meet the previous night.

"Okay, Terry, talk! Did you get hold up by Mr. Wayne with Gwen yesterday or was it all a lie?"

She believes that Terry simply forgot again, but Max covers for him, 'revealing' it was her fault as she was supposed to babysit Matt, but had to cancel so Terry had to instead.

"Sorry, Dana, it was my fault." Maxie comes up with something. "I was suppose to babysit Max, but I had to cancel for Terry to do it instead for Gwen and I had a project we're working on."

This eases Dana, understanding that family comes first and assures Terry they can make it up and gives him a quick kiss before moving to her computer.

"Oh, that's okay. Family comes first." Dana kisses Terry on the cheek. "We'll make it up somehow."

Wow, Maxie was good.

"Nicely done, Maxie." Gwen was amazed on what she can do. "Welcome to the team."

And for Bruce and Megan to learn about Maxie, how and why Terry became Batman, and Gwen telling her all about her powers and such to catch up to now know everything afterwards to be helpful for them both.

"You're right, Gwen, this could work out for us with her help." Terry sounded happy. " Terry is now assured of the situation, now seeing this can work well, however Max informs Terry that she has only one condition: if he calls her Robin, she's out. He agrees, and calls her 'Alfred'. Maybe this could work out after all."

Just one thing, McGinnis: You ever call me "Robin", and I'm out of here." she makes a joke.

"I don't think it'll be a problem." Gwen said to her new best friend.

Nah, not for her to be Robin that's for sure.

"No problem...Alfred." then Terry makes a joke right back.

This made Gwen laugh in a good way.

"Alfred?" Maxie was lost. Another new member to back Terry and Gwen up to help them at times from them as Batman and Batwoman, things will work out nice to make things easier to get through the day. Even for Maxie to learn something from the two. "(Now I see...Terry loves Gwen more than Dana. Now this I got see how it all turns out.)"

Max Gibson is awesome!


	18. Bloodsport

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 18 – Bloodsport

In a Gotham hotel, a mysterious man is given the penthouse suite. He ignores the staff's various offers, claiming that all he requires is privacy. While he looks over Gotham, a mosquito sucks some of his blood. Angered, he fires a dart from a blowgun, killing the mosquito with grim accuracy. Who is this strange man? Meanwhile, Batman and Batwoman survey a group of chop shoppers and starts their nightly business.

"(Chop shopper...?)" Gwen never heard of the group like them.

For her inner self Batwoman explains it to Gwen.

"This is what happened when you don't get out into the real world, Gwen. People like them take out the good parts of cars to place on the crappier ones, and then sell it for cheap people to be fooled and played for. It's very illegal to do. Actually, people like these idiots don't know any better."

With Bruce telling them about their business, as the two crime fighting duo take some action to stop them.

"Either way, we'll give it our all." said Terry/Batman. "And here's our cue."

While Batman fights off the thugs and Batwoman using some rope to burn with passion to be moving really fast too from punching and kicking a lot, Bruce mentions him that his mother has asked him to run an errand on his way home. Really...?

"Oh, and Terry, there was one other thing. Your mother called, she wants you to pick up some milk on your way home." Bruce tells Terry while he was fight.

"Milk?" kicks one member below the belt. "That's going to have to wait!"

And that takes care of them.

"Ha! Mommy issues." Batwoman laughs. "I love it."

"(Please behave.)" said Gwen.

For the two stop the crooks and Megan turns them in for cash afterwards. However, when morning comes Terry has forgotten to do so and his mother scolds him for not helping her enough. That night, Stalker performs a ritual in which he smears his body with ink and draws several animal symbols on a skin, one of which is Batman's symbol.

"There are two bats in Gotham, but one I must face with. The other if I must." said Stalker. With his ceremony done, he extends his retractable spear and heads out into the city.

Eventually coming to the Casemore Tribal Arts Gallery, he forces his way in. Batman and Batwoman both learn of the break-in and enters.

"What a mess!" said Batwoman. "Whoever it was, must not be so good in breaking and entering places."

All to be a set up for them be for the real enemy to be near.

"(Look at all of this, Uncle Bruce.)" Gwen points out.

"You should see this place. Antiques, relics, you'd feel right at home." Terry/Batman made a joke with Bruce.

Like he's the one to talk.

"Cute."

Stalker watches Batman and Batwoman from an unseen perch and attempts to attack them with his blowgun. Lucky for Gwen, she warns Batman in time keep his guard up against Stalker.

"(Batman! Watch out!)"

Batman manages to evade but Stalker attacks him again, this time tackling him to the ground. With Batwoman stepping in with her fire ball to stopping Stalker and her staff to have a sword type of battle while protecting her partner.

"I thought you've be stronger like him, but with fire powers. That's new." he said.

"So what?" Batwoman questions the man. "I was born this way, baby."

The two fight for a short while and Batman learns that his adversary is much stronger than he looks. Even for Batwoman to hold her own fight against Stalker to be a lot for her to hand.

"(Batman...I fee like this man's a lot like me, but...His body is all machine to be this way, no accident.)" Gwen to sense it out. "(What is this person?)"

Batman still manages to gain the upper hand but Stalker throws a grenade at him, releasing a powder that temporarily blinds his foe.

"Hey!"

Batwoman uses another fire blast to have the powder to make sparks get bigger smokes release to slow her down.

"We will fight again." Stalker leaves.

Finding Stalker gone, Batman and Batwoman soon leave together.

"Terry! Gwen! Are you two alright?" Bruce checks on them.

A bit beaten up, but they'll live.

"(We're fine, Uncle Bruce.)" Gwen got something. "(I got a hold of a black wet paint from his body to scan for his DNA to send to Megan next.)"

Gwen was taught well from Megan to get it down right away with her own min-computer type of hacking thing of her own.

"I'll give it to her right away."

The two take off to know that Stalker will come back for more.

"Who was that mysterious person?" Batman questions himself.

"(I don't know either...But we'll stop him, right Batman? You'll be okay?)"

Gwen checks on Terry to look fine.

"I've been through worse, but thanks." he answers.

Unaware of them, they flew by Stalker to be watching them while hiding himself under the bridge.

Shortly afterwards, Terry runs up to his mother and finds that he's late again. She gives him responsibility for feeding Matt, and they go to Cheezy Dan's for dinner. Unbeknownst to Terry, however, Stalker is watching him from afar: seen through his electronic eye, Terry glows brightly. Oh, that powder does the light thing to track someone down with it, and he knows that Terry's Batman. But he didn't get Gwen to meet up with Megan to ask for her help.

"How goes it, Gwen?"

"It's fine, thanks." she said back. "Listen, I need you to look up this strange person." Gwen does from photo shots of Stalker and her fire to make an image movement of the person. "Can you tell me anything about him?"

She tries to get right to it.

"Well now, this is new. I feel like I've seen him before. But just in case...I'll pull up something, Gwen, just bare with me."

"Okay, Terry's with his little brother Matt. So I'm suppose to meet him and Maxie in a while. So I don't mind waiting." she said. "They'll understand."

This might take away for Megan to find something since Gwen ask to show something and Bruce send his wife a DNA painting to match up with. She still had to skills. At Cheezy Dan's Terry meets up with Maxine. Seeing Stalker following him, he quickly leaves Matt with Max and starts running through the city. Max had to let Gwen know about it right away with a phone call, for she knows of her Gwen's powers to see and hear her now.

"Gwen, it's me."

"Maxie, hey. Is there something the matter?" Gwen asks her friend.

"A villain Terry told me about who's like some type of hunter is following him. I'm watching little little brother until he deals with that person." Maxie explains. "But he could use your help."

She had no choice but to feel out Terry to go help him stop Stalker this time.

"But how did he know..." she figures it out. "(That was no powder, it was a heat sensor thing! Terry's in danger!) Megan, see what you can get and give the rest to Uncle Bruce. I need to stop him again."

"I'll catch up. You just go." said Megan.

Transforming time...

"Please do. Burning passion! Batwoman!"

And off she goes to be flying for fire to be sparking. Back on the streets of Gotham, Terry outruns a Joker...

"Your money or a pie!" Pie Joker threatens Terry.

"Some other time." Terry hits him in the gut then by Stalker pushing his head into the pie with his foot while running after Terry.

"That's not funny, man!"

And then eventually he is stopped by the police who are reluctant to believe his story that a man with a spear is chasing him. However, Stalker arrives and makes short work of the police. Terry runs into the subway and tries to lose his adversary by riding the train, again without success. Megan then calls up to tell her husband on what she discover about the new enemy.

"Bruce, I got something. Alert Gwen and Terry right away!" Megan tells Bruce about it first. "Stalker was once an African game hunter who was wanted on three continents for poaching. On one occasion, while hunting a wounded black panther, a moment of carelessness cost the hunter his spine. He underwent a painful surgery to replace his back, which had been broken in five places. The procedure was not only a success, but it also enhanced his strength and reflexes. Stalker tracked down the panther that injured him and killed it with his bare hands as an act of revenge."

He does it right away. Bruce contacts Terry and tells him that the man that is chasing him is called Stalker: a big game hunter who only goes after the most dangerous prey. Batwoman arrives to lend Terry a hand.

"Batwoman?"

"Hey, kid, I'm here to save you." she said. "But listen...you have to lose him to get something to think it's you. Lose the jacket. Also, thank Gweny for this plan."

The train soon stops and Stalker goes after his target. However, he soon discovers that the man he's brought down is a bum whom Terry had given his jacket to 'for Batwoman and Gwen thought about this plan very well and it worked'. Terry himself has escaped with Gwen/Batwoman just in time. Terry returns to Cheezy Dan's and finds that Matt has been taken while he was in the restaurant's fun tubes. Batwoman looks from outside of the place to see it too.

"(This is bad...Stalker has got a hold of Terry's brother!)"

He goes to Bruce and showers, learning that Stalker sprayed on him was phosphorous powder and tracked him. Bruce then shows Terry a disk he found in Matt's jacket. It contains a map revealing where Stalker will be found. For Gwen to hack through the know the location from her Batwoman suit, as she reports back from the Batcave.

"Go anything, Gwen?" Bruce asks her.

"(I think so, Matt should be too far away to find. Megan said she'll help us out somehow for this Stalker is most wanted bounty for her to track down.)"

She sends them the location more clearly.

"You're getting go at this, Gweny, I'm amazed." said Batwoman. "Hey, Terry, whenever you're ready. Ain't no wait we're letting Stalker win to hurt a little boy at all! Because that's just wrong! And we're still going to save him."

Back at Stalker's suite, Matt is being kept in a cage above the floor of the veranda, which now closely resembles a jungle.

"What are you going to do, mister?" Matt asks Stalker. "Cut my heart out? Eat my liver?"

Not for him.

"Don't be dramatic. You are merely bait."

As Stalker walks past, Matt sees a surgical scar running down the entire length of Stalker's back, and asks about it.

"What happened to your back?"

"A hunting accident. The panther was wounded, and I was careless." a flashback shows a panther pounces on him and mauls him.

"Ouch..." Matt feels his pain.

"My back was broken in five places. They had to replace my spine." another flashback of him in the operating room. "The operation was excruciating." he screams in pain as they operate on his spine, then you see him hanging from the ceiling. "But it artificially enhanced my strength and reflexes. I went back. And with my bare hands, got my revenge." he then kills the panther that mauled him with direct combat. Stalker explains that, back when he was an ordinary poacher with a rifle, he became overconfident and was mauled by a black panther. His back was broken in five places, requiring replacement with an artificial spine. The operation was intensely painful, but Stalker found afterward that his strength and reflexes had been greatly enhanced. It was his fault to then killing an animal afterwards is still wrong. Upon recovering, he tracked down the panther and killed it with his bare hands in revenge. However, he felt unsatisfied, that the fight had been too easy, and now no animal was powerful enough to challenge him. Upon learning that Batman had returned, he headed to Gotham to hunt him down: in his mind, Batman is an ageless soul who inhabited the body of the greatest warrior of each generation, and if this were true, he would be the ultimate challenge for Stalker. While Batwoman means no threat to him more than Batman is. "I'd always imagined this Batman to be an ageless soul, inhabiting the greatest warrior of each generation. If this bat-spirit really existed, it would present the ultimate challenge."

"And nothing about Batwoman interests you?" Matt asks Stalker.

"Not as much as her partner does the most."

Batwoman arrives to be burning up and ready to fight.

"You'll pay for hurting a child, you idiot!"

Also, someone comes flying to push Stalker aside.

"You want me too, then here I am!" Batman arrives just then and attacks him, drawing first blood when Stalker's mouth bleeds, impressing him. And the same for blade striking for Batwoman to get a few hits on Stalker.

"(Matt! We'll save you!)"

"Impressive you two. You draw out first blood, now it's my turn." said Stalker to fight back nest.

However, Stalker has prepared for Batman and sends him into a trap of steel cables. Batwoman tries to rush over to her partner's side, but couldn't from the strong water wall shooting out to block her way out.

"Hey!" she was made. "You're cheating!"

"My game, my rules, Batwoman!" he said. "Stay put if you wish to live while I kill Batman first."

Batman manages to escape but falls into a trap of flash grenades, then into a pit trap.

"I got you." Batman uses his Batarangs to freeze up the waters. "Walk right through, it's fine."

She does with no trouble.

"(It still feels cold...But it's better than dying.)"

Batman manages to get out of the trap, helps out Batwoman, and they both headed to Matt only to find himself caught in a foot snare. And Batwoman ready for more against Stalker this time.

"I've stalked kittens with more tooth than you!" Stalker to Batman.

Stalker attacks him but Batman isn't through.

"Meow...!"

Batman hurls Stalker into Matt's cage, distracting him.

"For that, I'll drain your blood!" he was mad now.

"I'll cut you loose, Bats!" Batman uses some of her fire and hacking skills to get Terry/Batman free. "Gweny, a little help please?"

"No!"

Stalker getting mad for Batwoman to make a fire shield to stop the long staff to broke through and stabs her through the chest, to be close to her heart.

"Batwoman!" cried out Batwoman.

"Aah! Down already...?!" Batwoman was getting weaker.

"(It can't be...I'm hit...)"

With Batwoman out, Gwen comes back to down for the count and badly hurt for Bruce and Terry/batman to see the horrors. All of this to save her partner's life to give up hers against Stalker.

"Gwen's been hit!" shock Bruce.

Although Batman struggles, he was upset for Gwen was seriously injured.

"Batwoman...!" he had to do something now. "(Gwen can't die...!) BATWOMAN!"

When Stalker gets up he sees that Batman is gone.

"What?" he looks around for his prey. "Come on out, Batman! I've stop Batwoman! Now it's your turn! Come fight me or she dies."

Surprised, he checks the trap only to discover that he's been tricked and Batman is still in it. Batman comes out of stealth mode and jams Stalker's spear into the trap. The electricity from the trap damages Stalker's artificial spine and his vision is distorted and burning it up more with Gwen's help from the fire she had left in her.

"I never back down from a fight when my friends are in danger..." said Gwen.

It looks like she made a burn to seal the hole in time to stop the bleeding once she was lying on the floor to see Terry was still trapped. Nice plan.

"(Gwen!)" Terry/Batman was happy to see her hanging in there. "Hunt season's over."

"Batwoman's alive!" and Matter.

Opening Stalker's eyes, he hallucinates, seeing Batman as the panther that had nearly killed him.

"You're a devil! Stay back!" Fearful, he leaps from the suite and onto the train track. A train rushes towards him, which he also sees as the panther. Batman looks away as Stalker is supposedly hit and Matt is then freed. I think Stalker's fear was the panther who almost killed him.

"Hey, where is-?!" Megan sees that she was too late. "Great...Another search on this bounty to hunt for." she then tries to help out Gwen. "Is she okay?"

She was coughing but alive to miss her heart from inches away from the staff that almost took Gwen's life.

"I'm good if all of you are..."

"Let's get you to the hospital first." said Megan to carry Gwen. "Bruce, I'll take her."

He was happy to hear and see.

"I'll join with you soon." he said. "I'm glad she's okay. Gwen's shy and reckless, but a brave girl who puts herself at risk for those she cares about. She'll be fine, Terry."

Looks like it to make him smile.

"I'm so happy..." he said and then frees Matt out of the cage.

"Weird." said Matt to not see Stalker anymore. "What happened to him?"

"He was running from his own demons. Looks like they finally caught him." he helps Megan carry Gwen to the hospital. "Stay with us and Megan will help you out later."

They carefully carry Gwen to the hospital to get treated in time to rest her powers for Bruce to take care of the rest to recover real soon.

"Terry..." she tells him quietly. "Sorry...I was stupid to jump in and save you."

"It's alright, Gwen." Terry/Batman kisses Gwen on the head. "I'm just glad you're still alive. That's all that matters. Thank you."

A close call, but Gwen Grayson will be just fine to rest up back at Bruce's manor for Megan, Ace, Terry, and Max to help her out. While others from school wishes her to get well. Besides Nelson giving out his number to her, as if! Ha! Back at home, Matt tells his mother about his ordeal with excitement. Though his mother plays along, it's obvious she doesn't believe him. Matt finishes by saying that Batman is cool, unlike Terry. Well, he'll love his little brother either way to drive him nuts every day to live with it. Brotherly love...As for Gwen to see some good to have others who care about her new life.

"(What an ordeal to go through life, and then death, and then back in between. I was a close call for me.)"

Soon enough, Gwen was feeling more of the love for Terry than partnership. Oh boy...Will it happen or will they remain as friends?


	19. Once Burned

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 19 – Once Burned

Up on a Gotham Sky-Rise Apartment, a group of poker players grumble about the indecision of one of their players, Bennie. The conversation indicates that they are all criminals. Bennie claims he hears someone outside and sends his goons to check. While searching, the goons are assaulted by Ten. The game continues, and Ten tosses her own exploding card onto the table, taking the bet money. She quickly tries to make her getaway but her card glider is shot and destroyed. Trapped, she hides from the angry gang while the shooting attracts Batman's attention.

"We got trouble down below."

"That we do, Batman." said Batwoman. "You boys hang around some more until the police arrive, will ya? We're out of here."

Looks like Gwen/Batwoman is feeling a bit better to have herself patch up in a few places to be hurting her a bit, but she could still fight. Having Terry and Bruce worry about her safety.

"Wait, can you still fight?" Batman asks her.

Lots to be going on between the two, don't you guys think so?

"(I'm fine, Batman, the hit to the chest part was nothing. I can still fight. You're sweet when you worry about me a lot.)" said Gwen. "(I'll try to be careful, okay? We better go find out what the shooting is all about.)"

"She can hold up her own battles, Bats, with me around we got nothing to lose." said Batwoman.

Looks like they'll stick together on this one.

"If you say so. Just try to not over do it so much." said the Dark Knight. "Let's go."

Batwoman and Batman arrive and they both throw the take over to the players but they continue their shooting. For Gwen to be seeing Ten again could only mean trouble for this girl and to Terry to have a relationship with her once.

"(Wait...Ten? Which means Melanie and her family are back again?!)

"These people are not the type to listen." said Ten.

Looks that way...

"Ah, geeze! Do you really think so?!" Batwoman said ironically. "If you're saying this isn't what we think, then what is?"

Using a gas bomb, Batman with Batwoman using some fire power manage to distract the players long enough to allow himself along with Batwoman, and Ten to escape.

"(Well, there she goes again.)"

With Gwen feeling weird to see Ten again, Terry says this to her.

"Whatever happen between the two of us from then, Gwen, it's all in the past now. She means nothing to me now." he said. "But she has changed...Hopefully for the better."

"(I know, but we still have to let Uncle Bruce know about it.)" she said to her partner.

"Someone's jealous..."

"(Stop!)" Gwen shouts at Batwoman. "(Not right now, please...)"

That was out of nowhere...

"What's up with Gweny tonight?" she questions herself.

Terry tells Bruce about the incident and learns that he got too close to the Derby: a high stakes poker game that's been around since before Bruce was Batman.

"The Derby are like a poker gang member to play their bets and...take care of others who stand in their way personality. I'm having Megan look up more about to help you two out in any way." said Bruce to check on Gen next. "How are you feeling?"

Moving around a bit faster and easily controlling her powers to do just fine.

"A bit sore, but its nothing to me, Uncle Bruce. Thanks for asking."

Getting back about the Derby group had bad security problem to not protect their hideout so well.

"And those people can afford other things, they can't even hire a better security group." Terry added.

"They didn't think people would go after them."

"But Ten has." said Terry to tell Bruce about it.

"And get this...she's saying it isn't what it looks like." said Gwen. "Something's a bit different about her. She has changed. I feel it, but I can put my finger on it."

Bruce believes that Ten only went for her greed.

"Maybe, or Ten is just doing this alone for her greedy things." Bruce said.

Terry insists that she was only desperate but Bruce chalks it up to his youth and naivety.

"Look, I-! I mean Gwen and I can tell she is doing something. We'll keep our eyes on her if we must." he said.

For Bruce to know the feelings of love was like to marry Megan to love her a lot more over the years.

"Bruce: Ah, to be young again...And gullible."

So much to do, in so little time.

"Look, Terry, we'll get somewhere with this somehow." Gwen added. "Just give a call when there's something else going on and I'll be there."

"I will and you get some rest, Gwen." said Terry.

Later, Terry returns home and discovers his family are away at the beach. Terry then enters his room where he finds Melanie waiting for him. Terry is less than happy to see her, still hurt from when she left him. Melanie understands he if hates her, but states she didn't have a choice as it was either him or family, but Terry claims that there is always a choice. She asks to remain here until dark. Terry is reluctant to help her but she claims that the Jokerz had kidnapped her family and want the money from the Derby for ransom. Terry tries to call the police, but Melanie stops him, revealing that the Jokerz threaten to kill them. They are soon interrupted when Dana calls up and reminds him of their study date. However, Terry decides to tell her that he can't study with her for now. When the call is over, Terry and Melanie share a passionate kiss, proving that Terry's willing to trust Melanie and that a part of him still love's her. Ah, man...With Megan getting to work and helping out Bruce to have some alone time and seeing Gwen was recovering well from her body, but not from the heart.

"Bruce, she's acting sad again to have trouble sleeping when she says Terry's name in her sleep."

"What do you mean?" Bruce asks his wife.

"You and I both know what's on that girl's mind." she tells him. "Terry's relationship with Melanie is hard to do since she was once a criminal name Ten with the Royal Flush Gang. And Dana and him...we know it never ends well for them; and as for both Terry and Gwen when they're together to look happy and stopping crime as Batman and Batwoman, they're stronger and powerful in battle. She's a mess because of Terry's struggle of love with two different girls!"

Makes sense for him to feel the same when he was young for him to still work things out with Megan in the end, but that's besides the point.

"Are you telling me that their bounding is real love to become bad if Terry doesn't choose to hurt Gwen's feelings?"

"What do you think?" she questions her husband.

Now he gets it.

"I never thought..." said Bruce to feel bad for Gwen. "So he does love her, but he can't decide between Melanie and Dana."

"Now you're getting the picture. Like you, me, other girls, and boys to liking us as well for our relationship to grow...Good time, good times." Megan reminds Bruce about them from long ago. "What can we do to fix it?"

Hard to figure it out right now. Later that night, Melanie and Terry talk where Melanie tries to apologize for what happened between them, Terry however, tries to explain that things have changed since the last time, by trying to inform her about his relationship with Dana. Melanie becomes worried and asks if he doesn't have feelings for her anymore, but Terry admits he still does. Terry and Melanie are just about to kiss again, when Terry's family arrives home and Melanie takes this as a sign to leave, before leaving Melanie thanks Terry and gives him quick kiss goodbye before setting off. With her taking off, Matt checks on his older brother.

"What are you doing here in the dark?"

"Watching the sunset." Terry makes something up.

"That was an hour ago." Matt said.

"I know, but they're going to do an instant replay!" he said.

"Really?" Matt looks to see nothing was happening from Terry's window. "Instant replay, yeah right!"

Brothers will always be brothers...

"Twip."

Concerned over Ten's fate, Terry calls up Bruce and claims that he wants to take the night off to study with Dana. Gwen joins dinner with Bruce to try to take a breather.

"Uncle Bruce? Was that Terry on the phone." she asked.

"He's doing well." said Bruce while eating. "Come, join with me. I think after tonight, you should go check on him to make sure Ten isn't causing anymore trouble. Or about her parents being held captive by the Jokerz."

How did he know?

"Okay, but did Terry tell you?"

"Megan did when you were taking a nap. Maybe Max can also help you out on to learn more about Derby." he said.

Gwen eats up to need enough for the next big thing to do with Terry.

"Good idea, I'll do that."

"(And we better get somewhere with this mess.)" her inner self said. "(I mean, come on. Am I the only one who wants to fight still will healing from a bad scar Gweny just got and lived to tell about it. She's one lucky son of a gun to me.)"

Later, Terry calls for Max's help to learn the location of the Derby for Gwen to come by to help out.

"Got anything for us, Max?" Terry asks her.

"It's not like I keep history on villains you know."

Gwen tries to help her out.

"I can lend a hand, Maxie." she hacks in. "What Megan has taught me, hacking through other parts in Gotham could give us a good lead of some kind."

They have something to look up on.

"Thanks again, Gwen. Let me see what I can search for...Derby...Derby...So this is why you blow off Dana for this."

"I just came from recovering from an injury is all." Gwen added. "But Terry had his reasons."

Max now understands why Terry had cancelled his plans with Dana, revealing she had recently spoken with her, Terry is worried she'll tell her, Max assures him, but admits she is curious about what he's doing.

"You're not going to tell Dana, right?"

"Would I ever?" Max will keep a secret for Terry. "I do like to know what you are doing with Gwen helping you out."

"Just helping out a friend..." he said.

Max knows who Terry should really be with out of the three girls.

"Sounds like more than just a friend to you."

For Gwen to feel something out to know that Terry did something for her to notice.

"Just a friend...?"

"It's nothing anymore, Gwen, I swear." Terry tries explaining to Gwen.

Terry admits that he's helping a 'friend', Max can see that there is more between them and advises Terry that he has to choose between her, Gwen, and Dana before leaving.

"Terry, I don't want to be a picky type, but you better decide soon. It's not fair for Dana or you either Gwen." she said. "I'm just putting it out there." Max then hands the paper she found to give to Terry and Gwen. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Maxie." said Gwen to think about Terry's relationship. "(Doe he still love Melanie? Dana? And what makes us...? Just friends?)"

Terry then heads out to stop Ten with Gwen helping him out.

"Let's go, Gwen."

Heading out for Terry to change into Batman, Gwen turns into Batwoman to hope that whatever he decides on next will be the right woman to be with.

"Burning passion! Batwoman!" she becomes Batwoman now.

"Alright, Batman! Let set off a little fire work show against the Derby and see what Ten's really doing. I think...she's being force to do something...And I'm guessing it for once."

Batman and Batwoman arrived to find Ten preparing to rob the Derby once again.

"(Ten! Stop this!)" Gwen calls out to her.

"You're setting this one out." said Batman to stopping Ten just in time.

Though he insists that she stops, she refuses.

"Sorry, I can't afford to."

After a brief struggle, Batman catches Ten 'with Batwoman using her hacking skills to mess with the ride' and they both learn of her motives.

"Okay, children, behave!" Batwoman breaks them up. "Look, Ten, Batman's right. Why steal from others who are bad to the bone when we can help you out. I mean...Hello?!"

Deciding that theft isn't the answer, they take Ten to the Jokerz hideout so that they can rescue her family.

"Let just say I do believe in you, Ten, or rather...us...Stealing won't help. But we can." said Batman.

Ten believes in them to give it a shot.

"Then help me...Both of you...Or my family will die." Ten begs of them.

"(Then tells us where the Jokerz's hideout is located.)" Gwen tells Ten. "(Take us there.)"

While making their plans, Ten gives Batman a letter for Terry and the two move in.

"There's a kid name Terry McGinnis...If whatever reason I don't get out of this mess and you two do, give this to him for me. Don't neither of you read it. Promise?"

It was something for Batman to hold on to 'for him to read it later' and Batwoman to try to keep the promise for Ten at least.

"I promise." he said.

"We'll get out of this alive, Ten, no need to worry." said Batwoman. "We'll stop this before your parents will say...save by two bats, whoopee."

The trio is soon discovered by the Jokerz and is attacked. During the fight, Ten escapes leaving Batman and Batwoman behind.

"(She can't leave us like this! Ten! Come back!)" cried out Gwen.

Unaware of Ten's desertion, Batman finds a sleeping member of the Jokerz and learns that they are unaware of the Royal Flush Gang's abduction.

"Batman! A trap had been set! Ten left the deck!"Batwoman tells her partner way too late.

The gang catches Batman and Batwoman and they were in a bad situation until the Batmobile arrives and he manages to escape. And guess who was in it to hack right through? None other than Megan herself.

"Hiya, kids. You played nicely? Time to go home." she makes a joke.

They made and Bruce on the computer to see and hear them getting out of alive.

"(Uncle Bruce! Megan! Thanks for saving us!)"

"I thought you might need this, so I had Megan come to deliver it in person." he said. "I try to reach to one of you two, I knew you were up to something to have Gwen come and find you."

Bruce and Megan were too smart to know what Terry could be up to, but that's besides the point anymore.

"I got a lot of explaining to do..." said Terry/Batman.

"Later, I found out what Ten's really up to, but she has changed."

With Megan saying that, they wanted to hear more about it.

"What kind of change...?" ask Batwoman.

Ten goes back to the Derby and proceeds to rob the game, this time managing to escape. For Tyrus Block hits Bennie on the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For saying 'I told you so'!"

"But I didn't!" Bennie tries to explain.

Like he wanted to hear an excuse.

"Well you were gonna!" he said back.

Ten goes to a warehouse and tosses the ransom to a figure shrouded in the dark. However, she soon discovers that the figure is King. Ten is confused and asks for the Jokerz whereabouts, King reveals there never were any Jokerz and admits this plan was a 'family thing'. Ten is still confused until Queen appears and reveals this was a test to prove Ten's love for them. They congratulate her, but Ten is devastated by their actions, now realizing they don't love her, pointing out if they did, they never would have done this or made her choose between them and Terry. King tries to defend their actions, stating she was too young at the time. Ten rebuffs their excuses, realizing they were afraid she would leave them and finally sees they only think of her as an accomplice, never their daughter. Batman and Batwoman arrive to hear the whole thing.

"(I don't believe it...She did see Terry!)"

Gwen didn't sound to happy on her to feel Melanie and Terry has another moment from the other night to get her mad.

"More to the point to play a dirty prank on your own daughter to come to this, huh?" said Batwoman to try burning things up. "You two parents make me sick! At least Ten has a heart to try to realize what's right and wrong."

"And it's sad just to make you want to cry." and Batman.

Megan appears in front of Queen and King with her gun out.

"And who else but me seek Ten's help to find the proof I need to turn you two in. Ten, you Melanie, you made the right call for me to cut your sentence to be a free woman now." said Megan. "As for you mommy and daddy here, I'm putting you two away for good for a very long time."

Batman, Batwoman, and Megan soon arrived and is attacked by the gang while Ten runs off.

"Jack! Ace!" King calls out the other members.

"Help us!" and Queen.

This was really bad and for Ten to be leaving in shame.

"Hi, Batwoman, remember me?" Jack tries to make his moves on Batwoman again.

Only for Gwen to get this mad to take him out in seconds.

"Not my type." she said to notice Gwen's anger. "Okay, Gweny, calm down...Terry had his reasons with Melanie..."

The fight doesn't go well for Batman or for Batwoman even after stopping Ace; until the poker-playing gangsters arrive and start shooting in revenge for the robbery. For Gwen to start firing up in rage to take all of them down.

"(Terry McGinnis...You lied to me...For Melanie and having some trouble with Dana...YOU TRAITOR!)"

She was really mad for Gwen to back Batman up to keep their distances away from for Batwoman for a bit.

"That's doesn't look good." said Megan. "Bruce, are you seeing this?"

He was, all of it.

"Terry blew it now." he said.

The Royal Flush Gang attempts to escape, but they soon discover that Batman also called in the police.

"I not only told the gang who robbed the place, but I also called the police too." said Batman. "(This is bad, not Gwen's really mad at me. She's losing control from her powers because of it for that item won't hold up for her if this keeps up!)"

Both the Royal Flush Gang and the poker players are caught and arrested. For some fire works really slow all of them down to be defeated in seconds, and Batman calling the cops was the right move to make. As Megan had something to cool Gwen off to come back to reality in time to not hurt her from the coolness type of feeling...

"There we go. Good as new." she then slaps Terry/Batman in the face.

"Ouch! What was that for?!"

"You know what it is." Megan leaves to arrest the Derby gang and the four Royal Flush as well. "Good luck talking your way out of this mess with Gwen, stupid."

Meanwhile, Ten disappears into the shadow to see Batwoman to know she was Gwen all along.

"Gwen, I know who you are as Batwoman."

She turns back for her real self to show."

"Ten...! I mean, Melanie?" she was lost.

"I know, I know about your powers and such to team up with Batman, I won't tell...And I know Terry loves you a lot. I can tell, it's not Dana." Melanie explains. "I'm done being a villain, no more Ten. She's gone and so I am to start a new life with a new man to be with soon. I know Terry and I won't be together, not anymore. So I just came to tell you that and wish you the best of luck. About the other night, we kissed and talk is all, nothing else happened. And if you see Terry, tell him I said goodbye for me. Thanks"

Ten was long gone for whatever Melanie does next, she has turn good afterwards. And for Gwen, what's going to happen next to almost lose it?

"(Well, Gweny, you almost burned everyone up because of this mess. What are you going to do now?)" asked Gwen's inner self.

For one thing, Batman sees Gwen to unmasked himself for Terry and her needed to talk. Unaware for Bruce to still be hearing all of this without the monitor screens on. All of it.

"(I'm so dead...)" he tries to say something to the angry and sad Gwen. "Gwen, I can explain-!"

"Save it, Terry...Just be honest with me, Melanie came to your house the other night and made out, didn't you? And you left Dana from hanging out with her too? And what makes me...Nothing?"

I guess form Terry having a crush on Gwen, so was she to discover love.

"Nothing? What are you talking about? Dana and I are fine together!" he said. "And for Melanie and me...We did but it didn't last long."

"She said goodbye by the way...she's not Ten anymore but her own person. I thought you would like to know."

That was good news to hear about the new changed Melanie so far...

"Is that why you got mad who almost went nuts to set everything in hot blaze?" Terry asks her.

"It was because you lied and you don't know who to love...Melanie didn't work out and I doubt Dana will either..."

"What we have is our businesses only, Gwen!" he said. "But yes, I have feelings for you. That doesn't mean you can tell me what to do."

"I would never, no! But I don't want to see you get hurt either." she said back.

"Then why say these things to me?" Terry asked.

Then Gwen admits it all to him in tears to come out of her eyes for him to notice of her feelings.

"Because you were the first boy who saved and accept on who I am! That's why!"

And now he knows it all...Way to ruined it all, Terry. Now he feels bad about it. From the first day they met, they felt something for Terry's life was hard to be with Dana and Melanie during the time was harder, to see for his feeling grows more from Gwen Grayson who was a half human and clone with fire powers.

"I...I didn't know...I did have a thing for you..."

"Did?" she questions Terry's saying. "I knew you were hard to fall for, Terry McGinnis...I was wrong about you. Well, good luck stopping crime alone with me as backup form time to time and less hanging out with school besides Max. I'm leaving Uncle Bruce's place for a but to hang out with Megan, to get my mind cleared and away from you."

Looks like Megan will allow it for a while to still fight crime but less time with Terry and school too.

"Wait, you can't!" Terry tries talking to Gwen. "I wasn't yelling at you, I had to explain more clearly."

"And you did for nothing, thanks a lot, Terry..." she was crying to slowing be leaving.

This was really sad...

"Please don't do this..."

"Why not? You already made a choice, you don't need me a lot...Even if we're still crime fighters, our friendship is nothing to leave it be. Goodbye, Terry."

Gwen runs off to be crying as she tells her step-uncle and Megan takes care of her for a while to watch on her powers, Terry made the biggest mistake of his life.

"Gwen! Gwen, don't go!" Terry couldn't catch up to her for him to get upset now. "(What am I doing...? Who do I love...?)"

For Terry to look upset, same with Bruce to start crying as well to feel really bad for Gwen's issue with Terry and her relationship to break.

"(Gwen, I'm sorry...)"

For Gwen to still do her part to stop crime and live a normal human life, this will be a while for them work something out...Somehow. Later, Terry and Dana go to a dance club and he soon finds the letter that Ten gave to Batman. Dana notices the letter and tries to ask about it; however, deciding to put Melanie behind him and move forward with his life 'and trying to think about Gwen's feelings for a while', Terry throws out the note without even reading it.

"What's that piece of paper?" Dana asked.

"It's...nothing..." he throws it away.

So, what do you guys think? Terry and Gwen together, or him and Dana? Your call... :( Sad one in the end, huh?


	20. Hooked Up

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 20 – Hooked Up

Hard times for Gwen to live with Megan for a while since Terry made a lot of mistakes with her between Melanie to leave behind and having trouble in his relationship with Dana, though working together to going to school will be a bit harder to talk to one another and working together. Bruce asks his wife on how his step-niece's been feeling lately 'since those two talk every day'.

"Megan, how's Gwen?"

"Well...She's hanging in there to have some friends of Terry to hang out with even Maxie. Poor girl's a mess." she said. "And how's Terry? Although what he did was stupid, we both know we can't be mad at him for the rest of his young life."

True, but Terry needed to do something about it himself to talk to Gwen.

"I know." said Bruce. "I'll call up to talk to her later, thanks for letting me know about Gwen's condition so far."

For them to have their love was still stronger than ever.

"It's no problem, Bruce, and everything will work out somehow for young teens. Things can be harder at first to work things around it afterwards. It did for us, so why not them?"

Hopefully...For Gwen to train from making her muscles stronger from time to time, helping out, controlling her fire still, and studying from classes to still have a lot on her mind to still be thinking about Terry.

"(Does he still care about me...? Terry.)" she asks herself.

Elsewhere...A young teenager named Donny gives a knockout performance at a rock concert. As he leaves the arena, he pushes past his adoring fans and enters a limousine with three waiting girlfriends...then the scene changes to a virtual reality parlor, where Donny's booth has just been shut off. He begs to be put back in, but the proprietor says he needs to pay. A reality thing to see what makes you happy to stay there? Is that unhealthy? At Hamilton Hill High School, Terry is still trying to wake up after another rough night. Well, between that and how he and Gwen are having some trouble for Max to already know about it.

"Rough night?" Max asks him.

"Aren't they all?" he yawns. "A lot been's going on with me..."

"Between work or you with Gwen. Yeah, she told me."

Part of him felt bad to see Gwen every day from work and school to do stuff, but never hang out a lot.

"You too, huh?" Terry asks Max. "Between Bruce and Megan, they're making me the bad guy. Dana and I are working something out and Gwen...I mean, part of me does like her more..."

"But you can't decided who you want to love more from the two girls. I get it. I have nothing against you, but you better decide real soon." she said. "And for work since you two help out to go your temperately separate ways...Maybe you need someone out there with you. You could do worse you know."

From Gwen, maybe...But from anyone else would be a bit risky.

"Forget it."

"Why should you have all the fun? Or her?" Max asks Terry.

"Max, it's not fun."

Terry's right, between him and Gwen is business.

"What? Flying, intrigue power?" she said. "Yeah, you're right. It's a drag." Max suggests that he would do better if she came with him sometimes, but he refuses point-blank.

Gwen to be passing by Terry and Max.

"Hi, Maxie." said the smile Gwen to feel a bit better.

"How's it going, Gwen?"

And for her and Terry to look at each other real quick.

"Hey, Gwen..." Terry tries to say something. "Look...Could you at least patrol with me tonight?"

They can still do that at least to stop crime and hold their difference aside. They don't hate each other, just a lot to work out on. With Gwen continue walking, she does say something to Terry before leaving...

"I'll be there."

At least she said yes. On patrol that night, Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman sees Donny, who ran away from home and school the week before. Donny is trying to panhandle from passersby, but when they refuse, he becomes violent and starts mugging them, snatching wallets and purses.

"Ouch! Someone at this young age is going to be in trouble." said Batwoman.

"Sure looks like it. I haven't seen Donny at school in a while." Batman explains. "It's nice to still be working together like this."

For her other self to do the work while Gwen's brains helps out the other half when doing some hacking skills.

"Just me to help you out and let you know what Gweny's saying, Bats. I hate when you did to her...! But I can't argue about it too much. Look, let just stop Donny from pick pocketing before he hurts anyone else on the streets."

As Terry tells Bruce about Max not to get too involved in things for her own safety for the two of them 'even Gwen to agree upon', for Max's sake. But she doesn't take no for an answer.

"How do I tell her no?" he asks Bruce.

Kind of asking the wrong person.

"He's not serious, is he?" Megan asks her husband while patting Ace.

"You're asking me for advice on handling women?"

Good point there, Bruce.

"Ah." Terry gets it now. "I see your point."

"Yep, and everything is something with good old Maxie. More on that later, kid must be stopped next." Batwoman points out.

Batman and Batwoman confront him, and is astonished when Donny leaps off the building roof in desperation to get away from them. The chase leads down to the highway, where Terry is forced to break off the pursuit to prevent a highway crash and Batwoman with some fire power of foam type of item to use to slow down the crash without anyone else getting hurt on the streets.

"We let him get away."

"What would a runaway kid want with people's money?" Batwoman questions herself. "Try to make it big alone with chum chain? I'll see what Gweny can get for us."

Donny returns to the parlor and offers the stolen money, begging to be hooked up again, and is given another chance by the proprietor...Spellbinder. Him again?! Another one of Spellbinder's clients, Jessie, suddenly loses consciousness and becomes comatose. Spellbinder shuts off the others' booths, and tells them to dump Jessie somewhere, and then go out to find some 'new recruits'. Jessie is later found and hospitalized as Megan reports Bruce about this for Gwen to learn about it and then Terry afterwards.

"Are they did?" Gwen asks Megan. "I hope not."

Megan double checks their wave brains to be close, but not life threatening from her computer to give her some of the answers.

"No, but they're stuck from the looks of it." she said. "Gwen, set up some mini shocks to ease the brain, hook this one up for me while I let Bruce and Terry know about this. Whoever's doing this is good with tech like us. Well, I'm still the best hacker."

"I'm doing my best to be good like you are, Megan...So maybe Terry..."

She asks Gwen this question.

"You love him, don't you? It's cool. I felt different when I met Bruce who was my Batman. Working together, he came on to me, I slowly realize it, and...our relationship grew more. Look, I hope that whatever happens to Dana and him, they can still care to being really good friends. I love friendship type of thing. Like I am with your...real father who made you Dick Grayson...Trust me, he'll come around. And for your other self to get better with your guidance is getting good."

Gwen notices it lately to get really better at it day by day.

"It has? Well, she's the brave one while I'm still the shy and caring type of person." said Gwen. "And what you're saying is true, I know waiting is tough...I want him to work it out, I would never hurt their caring friendship. Dana's a good person."

"Even if she hates you a little?" Megan asked.

Dana doesn't hate Gwen in the world type of thing, she just gets jealous way too much.

"I rather have someone to work out with than villain who treats people..."

"Like crap?" she added.

"Sort of."

The two girls were getting a long well.

"Anyways, you still help me out to get better with your powers, you'll go back to your step-uncle Bruce later." Megan gets back to work. "Anyways, let's send these to him and for Terry to see on what we can discover."

A good girl talk there, huh? Anyways, Megan alerts Terry and Bruce for he notes that Jessie is the latest in a long list of runaways who have been later found comatose and are currently hospitalized. Whatever is happening to them is likely connected to Donny.

"They're all comatose?" Terry asks Bruce.

"Not all of them..."

With Gwen on the roof top of a building to hack through as she leaves it to Terry for him reluctantly brings Max along on an investigation 'and Gwen listens in', to visit Donny's parents, whom she has met before.

"You with us, Gwen?" Max checks on her friend.

"I'm all set. I'm listening in to gather some information."

She was good.

"Alright, thanks, Gwen, stay put." said Terry to let Max know about one thing. "I only brought you to get the other information for us is all, Max, don't forget."

"When you see what I can do, you'll be begging me to help you."

I guess Max knows what she was doing, she's not dumb. They are disturbed to see that the parents live in a seedy apartment, and that Donny's father is abusive towards his wife and no longer wants to see his son. Sad life, huh?

"I guess it would make sense between Donny having a sad life from his mean father and his mother missing him a lot." Gwen felt bad. "(Poor guy...)"

While there, Max finds a cash card belonging to Donny, and sees a large number of charges from a video arcade, which includes a virtual reality booth.

"V.R. Room." said Max.

"It's some type of money to place on cards like these, this one belongs in some type of arcade gaming."

From what Gwen and Max can gather, it was all true.

"Vroom?" Terry was confused.

"V.R. Room." Max explains to Terry. "It's an arcade downtown. Donny was spending his creds escaping reality."

And for the three can see why he is.

"I can't imagine why."

They visit the arcade, which is legitimate. While there, Donny and two other of Spellbinder's clients catch sight of Max, Gwen, and Terry, and offer to show them a 'real' virtual reality experience. Terry is reluctant, but Max is eager to investigate further. Gwen had to do something to fix it.

"Wait, Maxie, I can go, you just...stay here with Terry to learn more of the V.R. Please don't do this." she begs of her friend.

"I'll be fine, you two need more time together anyways." she said. "Terry, don't worry. I'll call you two later."

"Max!" Terry couldn't talk her out of it.

This didn't look good at all nor was Donny in his condition he was in was getting worse.

"Terry, look...Whatever happen to Donny for me to feel him ill, it might happen to Maxie. I'm worried."

After hearing that the experience is offered by Spellbinder there is a fight in which Terry is distracted by Donny and for Gwen to overhear Spellbinder's name again to do something but neither of them couldn't, as Max is dragged away. However, Megan taught Gwen another skill to use.

"Where is she?" Terry got worried.

"Calm down. I place a bug on her." she shows him from her computer device. "We can track her down and save Maxie with the others. (Thanks for the tips on how to do these things, Megan.) Looks like Spellbinder's back for more but with virtual reality things to use on people."

In the illicit virtual reality device, Max experiences an intoxicating fantasy where she returns home to a loving and supportive family. Spellbinder to use people's minds to mess with, and Gwen's at one point, remember? The next night, on patrol as Batman and Gwen as Batwoman, both Gwen and Terry are shocked to see Max breaking into a car's glove compartment to steal from it.

"Hello! Are you seeing this right now?" shock Batwoman. "This is so not like her."

For them to still be working together, they need to save Max.

"Max, what are you doing?"

For she was doing it still without saying anything to her friends but to leave her alone.

"Go away!" said Max. "Neither of you won't understand."

"You're stealing things to have Spellbinder put you back in the V.R." said Terry/Batman. "Look at yourself!"

They confronts her, and she says she is desperate to get back to the V.R. room.

"Than just leave me alone! Both of you!"

Terry convinces her to return home, and he catches a glimpse of her reality: her parents are divorced, and her mother is hardly ever home because of her work schedule. Most of the time it's just Max and her sister.

"Harsh times..." said Gwen to her friend. "Look, things are bad like with me to know little of the family who created me to have step-parents a little. Maxie, it'll be all right. Promise. And Terry, call up Uncle Bruce to tell him about this."

As Maxie lays down to rest and Gwen keeping her company, Terry calls Bruce on the phone — then Max sneaks up on him and knocks him out before leaving the apartment.

"Max..." he goes out cold.

"Terry!" Gwen tries to stop her. "Don't do this-!"

Max does the same at Gwen for the two were out cold. Only for the tracking device to still be on Max to leave, they'll find her soon enough.

"Terry! Gwen!" Bruce worries.

Before Max leave, she says this to Bruce 'for her not to know who it is yet'.

"Whoever you are, when these two wake up, tell them I'm sorry."

She then leaves. After regaining consciousness, Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batman track down Donny and follows him to the parlor's location.

"She's here somewhere. Let just go..." Gwen still sad around Terry to know that teaming up comes first. "Burning Passion! Batwoman."

And Batwoman takes over to leave Batman to Donny to find Max and the others from Spellbinder's hideout.

"If we can find Donny, we can find Max to stop the hypnotic dude this time...Wherever he is."

For someone like Terry to be driving the Batmobile to fly it recklessly to be in a hurry.

"Easy there." Bruce tells Terry.

"I can't believe I got her involved in this!" he was upset.

It was hard to feel like this, but they can still save Max.

"Now you sound like Batman."

For Bruce to make joke about Terry to sound like the real Batman he knows of.

"What?" he was lost.

"He's joking..." said Batwoman. "Lighten up, would you, Bats?"

Ad then Bruce tells the two about how he had to save his love Megan so many times before to worry about her a lot.

"I've been right where you are. More times than I care to count, and like you said, there's no way you could have stopped her. And for me to rescue Megan a lot even she could fight back, I worry about her from every event it happens to the two of us."

True love was strong. First Batman and Batwoman find Donny feeling weak for Megan to arrive to help him by healing his brain waves with a special device that does it.

"I got it." she said. "You two, I think I saw a group of kids heading down the hallways of this place. If Gwen did place the tracking device I gave her, it should lead you both to Spellbinder and Max. Now hurry, I'll save this one."

"Thanks, Megan." said Batman.

And hurry...! As the two find Max there, hooked in again.

"There she is!" Batwoman jumps into the rescue. "Max, hang on. Don't you dare die on us!"

Carefully hacking through the system a little for Gwen to guide Batwoman, leaving Batman to shut down Max's booth, and she rages at him, telling him that it is what she wants and he has no right to interfere.

"You two ruined it all!"

"You can't live in a fantasy world!" Terry tells Max.

"And what Gweny would say to you for me to say it instead...It isn't healthy, Maxie." she said.

"Why not?" Max questions them both. "What's so great about reality?!"

"Max, you're smarter than this!"

Batman tries to reason with her, but then Spellbinder ambushes him and knocks him out.

"Why couldn't you listen to me?" she said.

"Hey, stop it-!"

For Spellbinder to shock her next to be trapped in water to weaken Batwoman to not do anything and see Batman was in danger.

"Yes, Batman and Batwoman. Why couldn't you both?" he mocks them.

Max is eager to get hooked back in, and doesn't seem to notice that Spellbinder is about to kill Terry.

"No!" Batwoman had to do something. "Hey Gweny, say something to your friend and partner...Like it or not...I rather be mad when they're alive and not brain dead or killed! So hurry it up!"

For Batwoman tries to get out of the water painfully, for her to place a device to snap Max out of it with some fire power to talk to her friend to somehow works.

"(Maxie! Listen, what you're doing is wrong! All of it! Terry said you're smarter than this...He's going to kill me and him to leave you to turn into a vegetable! Hurry...Your reality is with us, with friends. Like Terry and me, we'll work something out somehow no matter how much it hurts. So come on!"

It somehow works to get through to Max unharmed.

"Gwen...?" she was back. "Batman's in danger!"

Spellbinder overloads Terry's mind with his illusion device, then Max breaks out of the booth and subdues him for Batwoman to hack to the other machines to overloading them for good. Megan arrives to see what went down to have Gwen do a fine job for her.

"Game over, Spellbinder. This is reality out of the fantasy world to be no more."

Spellbinder is arrested, and an examination of his machines allows the authorities to treat his victims. That's good to know. For the three to see the news, it was good to hear. For Gwen to see the two doing well.

"(Hey, Gweny, good work.)" said her other self. "(Aren't you going to hang out with them?)"

For Max and Terry to see Gwen standing further away from them, they wave to her...and Gwen's responds was a little smile to be have some work for her Terry to slowly work things out so far. He'll allow it.

"Maybe later. I need to get the papers in from the project I've been doing so far. But still, I think Maxie will be find with us by her side, and her smarts in tact. (Terry, I'm glad you're not hurt.)"

It's a start, but it's going to work more later. Not bad, Gwen.

"Is she okay?" Max asks Terry.

"I think we can work something out...I hope."

"Whatever." Max apologizes, saying that she almost got three of them killed.

Terry tells her not to worry, it worked out all right in the end.

"Don't be...It means you're in and Gwen would love it." he said. "But we're taking things slower so you won't get yourself hurt so much."

Moreover, she's now proven her worth to Terry and Gwen as a partner, and they can take this all one step at a time. Good enough to have a few more people on the team, and others to fix with little at a time.

"I'm down with that, sure."


	21. Rats

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 21 – Rats

An ominous newscast speaks of Gotham's 'secret shame': giant man-eating rats. These rats are blamed for several disappearances. Max states they are nothing but an urban legend and a way for media to get more attention, but Chelsea seems to believe them. Dana however is more concerned with the fact that Terry has stood her up again. And I think we all know why for Dana to learn about him seeing Gwen a lot to make her very jealous. As she was just getting to her studies to still have some issues with Terry to still have trouble deciding...

"Dana?" he sees Gwen to know that he wanted to see Dana instead. "Oh...Gwen, hi. How have you been?"

She just looks sad again to walk away still.

"I'm fine. Sorry to trouble you."

Hard to go through this, huh? Well, Terry had another problem to deal with right now.

"(Still mad at me...Working together, but less hanging out. I missed it.)" Terry sees Dana to talk to her again. "Dana!" Terry arrives and tries to patch things up but she refuses to listen.

Terry apologizes claiming Mr. Wayne needed him again and doesn't blame Dana for being mad. However, Dana reveals she is more than mad as she has tried to be patient with him and while Terry replies she has been great as she has always been there for him, Dana points out that she doesn't feel that way in return as she has only received broken promises and dates, claiming that Terry cares more about his job than her.

"Doing a lot of things for Mr. Wayne. And a lot more closer to Gwen Grayson too."

"We're just friends."

He shouldn't said that to Dana at all.

"Friends, huh? Is that so? Is that why she's mad to try loving her more than me?" she argues with Terry.

"Dana, I have responsibilities now. My mom and brother depend on me. What do you want?" he asks.

"Someone who occasionally will be there for me. Is it me or her?"

Terry reminds her that he has responsiblites now since his father died as his mother and brother depend on him more and asks what does she want. Dana reveals she would like someone who will be there for her and leaves. Terry tries to go after her, but Chelsea advises him to give her some space and leaves.

"Sorry, McGinnis, girl time." Chelsea does over to talk to Dana alone.

Max admits to Terry that it's a shame he can't tell Dana the truth.

"Too bad you can't tell Dana the truth on what you're really doing, Terry." said Max. "And for Gwen, she's still mad at you?"

He didn't want to say too much.

"Afraid she is...I don't know what to do. They're but great, and I have to choose between one of them..."

"Then choose, how hard can that be?" she asked.

"I don't know. Gwen won't talk to me unless we're on night patrol." said Terry. "I just don't know what to do."

When Dana reaches her car, she finds a white rose and a note saying, 'I'll be there for you'. Assuming the rose came from Terry, Dana begins to change her mind. Gwen felt someone was in the area to look around to see no one where the students park their cars, although she does know someone was watching on Dana the most.

"(Who was that...? Some type of dirty stalker...?)" she keeps an open mind from it. "(I better keep my eyes open. Not just for Dana to keep safe from, but for Terry...He probably wants me to because he likes her more. He loves her...And I'm just a friend.)" Gwen looks at a sign to take her anger out on it to be melted in seconds. "Stupid!"

Wow, Gwen was very mad, wasn't she? Later that night at his house, Terry and Matt are relaxing until the phone rings. Matt answers and reveals it's Dana and soon Terry sends him out of the room. Terry and Dana talk, where reveals he didn't expect to hear from her, Dana says the rose changed her mind which confuses Terry, revealing he didn't send Dana the rose. However, Dana doesn't notice and instead arranges a date for them at Rhino's Chili, Terry assures he'll be there and Dana promises to wear the white dress he likes, ending the call. Terry is happily surprised and soon Matt appears and begins teasing him about his relationship with Dana, but soon leaves when Terry forces him out of the room. At Dana's house, she is dressed and ready for her date with Terry. She says goodbye to her father, who believes she is leaving for a study group. When Dana reveals she is meeting Terry, her father disapproves of their relationship as he knows of Terry's past, believing that Dana could be with someone better. Dana assures her father that Terry's trouble is in the past, while also mentioning his job. They are interrupted when they notice a shadowy figure outside, Mr. Tan goes to seek the intruder, but finds nothing. Mr. Tan again expresses his concerns, but Dana assures him and leaves for her date. For Gwen to be following the stranger to not lose sight of the thing for her to alert Megan about it.

"Gwen? What's up?" she asks.

"Listen, Megan, I need you to alert Uncle Bruce about a strange rat man to be wondering around Gotham and spying on Dana Tan."

This was news for her to hear the rumors.

"A rat man...? Alright, I'll let him know. But what if he calls you and Terry for another job to do?"

Like she can't refuse not to help out.

"I'll...Save the people for back up and stop the bad guy and then getting back to work." Gwen tells her.

"Okay, I'll keep my eyes open and still let Bruce know." Megan gets to it. "And I thought Dana hates you, is this to earn her trust?"

Then Gwen could only say this type of answer for Megan.

"You could say that. Thanks again, Megan."

Meanwhile, Terry heads out to meet Dana but he receives a call from Bruce alerting him to Mad Stan being on a rampage. Knowing his responsibility must come first, Batman confronts Mad Stan, who believes that Gotham is falling apart due to an information overload, in the library and the two start to fight.

"Keep it down, Stan. We're in a library." Batman makes a joke.

While they were fighting, Mad Stan explains while he was doing all of this madness.

"You think this is a joke? Look around, Batman. Society's crumbling, and you know why?" the villain questions the young Dark Knight.

"Too many overdue books?"

Mad Stan keeps hurting Batman to tell him the real reason.

"Information overload, man. As a society, we're drowning in a quagmire of vid-clips, e-mail, and sound bites. We can't absorb it all." he then places a bomb on Batman's head. "There's only one sane solution: blow it up!"

This might take a while, bummer...As Batman gets hurt after Mad Stan throws him into a wall and he lands on his back on the ground.

"For this, I'm missing a date?"

Batwoman then steps in to stop Mad Stan really quick to be in a hurry.

"You...! Batwoman?!" he hated her too.

"Yeah, me..." Batwoman grabs his gear to set off the bombs to overdrive. "Its them or you."

He removes them in time before it blows up in the air, to send him crashing right into a wall, and he passes out to saving Batman in time.

"Thanks, Batwoman-!" he sees her taking off in a hurry. "Wait! Don't go!"

Too late now.

"Sorry, Batman, but Gweny's too busy to talk to the likes of you. She has other business to take care of. You're ruining your chance. Just saying..."

No kidding. He feels really bad – from being late for his date with Dana and having trouble decided between her or Gwen to love more. As the fight ends with Mad Stan arrested for Batman to do and Gwen investigating the stalker a lone 'and for Megan to tell Bruce about next'...Dana waits in front of Rhino's and eventually decides that she's been blown off again. Angrily leaving the scene, she come across another rose with the 'I'll be there for you' message.

"Terry?" she tries calling out to him. "Terry...?"

As she reads the note, she is approached by two giant rats that slowly advance on her. Gwen arrives to track Dana down to hear her screams to arrive at the area she was in to be in grave danger.

"Dana!" Gwen arrives too late. "No...! Someone is spying on her, she's gone...(Okay, Gwen, you can do this. Megan will let Uncle Bruce know and then Terry-! Wait...I can do this to prove myself more in battle besides Batwoman. I don't care if Dana hates me, I'll take it better than seeing someone close to Terry killed. Like it or not, I never hold a grudge on good people even if they're not a couple, but as friends.)" she uses the tracking device to find Dana. "I have to do this on my own by any means."

Gwen was good to go through anything before planning anything else afterwards, she goes off to find Dana alone. Dana then wakes up surrounded by white roses. Looking around, she finds herself in an underground room filled with shelves of junk items. A rat-like boy greets her and tells her that his name is Patrick and that this is his collection of things that people don't want. Dana soon comes across the giant rats again, but Patrick shows that he can control them and that they are his friends. Megan arrives to let Bruce know what was going on.

"Are you sure?" he asks his wife.

"I'm certain. There's been a lot of kidnappings a lot lately. Even more on some girl I'm looking up on, but I think this is different from the other thing...Gwen is finding Dana now as we speak, she'll be fine."

"You going to let Terry know?"

Hard to say from two girls he's having trouble deciding upon.

"I'm going to, yeah. Gwen's smart and strong even as herself than the other half Batwoman, but she could get hurt." Megan drives to Terry's place. "I got this, Bruce."

Back at Terry's house, Terry calls Dana and apologizes. Soon afterwards, there is an insistent knock at the door. Terry answers, and is soon assaulted by Dana's father who demands to know her whereabouts. Terry is taken aback, but now learns that Dana is missing. Megan then arrives to tell Terry what's been going on lately.

"Megan?" he was surprise to see her.

"You want to know where Dana is at? You want to know where Gwen has gone too that has something to do with Dana?" Megan questions Terry. "Let's talk, pal."

In the sewers, Dana learns that Patrick ran away because people called him 'ratboy' and he sought to quit being teased. Attempting to escape, Dana offers to take Patrick to Rhino's for some chili, but he refuses to let her go and heads off for himself. Gwen finds the place to locate Dana with Patrick who's the stalker.

"(So that's who's Dana's stalker...A Rat Boy.)"

Patrick wanted to get the food for Dana.

"I'll be right back, Dana. Just don't wonder off, it could be dangerous." he said and then leaves.

Once Patrick was gone, Gwen shows herself to Dana to be hiding.

"Dana...? It's me." she said quietly.

"Gwen?" Dana wasn't too happy to see her. "Let me guess, Terry send you to take him away?"

"No...Let's put that aside us, okay? I'm here because I wanted to save you, alright? This has nothing to do with Terry, I came here alone."

She was telling the truth.

"You did? Either way, I want to go home."

"I know, he's your stalker who can't do this to others." said Gwen. "I want to help because you want to be notice by others to be yourself, like I am. I had problems more than you could never guess on what it was. So please, Dana, put your anger aside for today and let me help you."

Dana seems to trust in Gwen to allow it, but they have to plan it out carefully...

Meanwhile, Terry has told Bruce about Dana missing and is out investigating her disappearance. He comes across Rhino's where patrons are escaping in droves. Inside, Patrick is busy ladling chili into take-out containers for him and Dana. Batman discovers Patrick's giant rats and a fight ensues.

"Big rodent problem." he said to fighting the two rats.

Patrick hears them and quickly packs up the chili and escapes with the rats, mentioning Dana as they leave through the backdoor, which Terry overhears, and follows them into the sewers. Megan finds the device to send from Gwen for her to hack into.

"Yo, Terry, I found Gwen's location, she has Dana. She's okay." said Megan. "You need my help?"

"I'll handle this one, Megan, but thanks. (Gwen, thank you.)"

Back at Patrick's hideout, Dana searches through his collection and finds a flashlight.

"I hope this will allow us to see a way out of here..." she tries to get the flashlight to work. "Somehow. But I need more light to see."

"More...?" Gwen had a dangerous idea to do to show her off her powers. "(I'm so going to get into trouble after doing this, but...) Dana, I can make more light."

"How?"

"First, don't panic. I was born having these type of powers, but they're all under control. But it has to stay between you and me...Watch." Gwen shows off her fire powers in a desperate situation like this. "Here it comes."

Her fire powers show under Gwen's control for Dana was shock to say something to her next 'besides having enough fire power to come in handy'.

"No way...Fire powers? You, Gwen? Then you must-!"

"Wait!" she stops her. "It's not what it looks like! (I don't want her to know that I'm Batwoman!)"

But that's not it at all...

"You're the same like Batwoman is...You work with Batman and her. That's why..." Dana thought about it. "Yeah, you having fire powers like her from this Powers person who was Blight to make human clones with elemental powers and you two were one of them. You tell them what to do, that's why. I never knew, Gwen, I thought you were a trouble maker, I'm so sorry."

Okay? We can go with that for Gwen to play along.

"Ah... (Better than not her knowing it all.) Yes, I do work for Batman and Batwoman. Without her, I wouldn't able to control my fire powers."

"I see." said Dana. "So do they know about it besides me too?"

"Ah, you three and Terry. But he helped me out at one time to keep things a secret. He doesn't know what I've been doing at night times. I know when I see him helping Uncle Bruce when I work around the Wayne Manor but that's it. (Please believe in it...)"

Dana thinks that's the real reason why Terry's been busy at work from time to time.

"Now I get it, you were alone and wanted friends. I need to talk to him later once we get out first." she said. "So why are you fighting?"

More on that later for them to get out first.

"I'll tell you more after we get out, but you have to let me help you. I told Batwoman and Batman before I went in. If we leave together, they will find us." Gwen explains. "I know you never liked me a lot, Dana, but still. I'm the only one who can get you out."

With some fire and a flashlight, they could get out now.

"In that case, let's both leave so we can argue together again afterwards. And yeah, your secrets safe with me." she trusts Gwen to stay close. "Adios, Ratboy."

With the light in hand, they search for a way out, passing by several barrels of toxic waste which were presumably the source of the giant rats.

"(I guess that explains the rats growing badly and the kid. Must've got pour with this stuff to turn into one half human and rat person.)" Gwen's other half said to the real one.

The journey through the sewers proves to be an ordeal for Dana and Gwen to keep her safe. Unable to negotiate several obstacles, Dana falls into sewer water and soon finds herself trapped in a pit, along with a huge colony of regular-sized rats. Despite their small size, the rats are aggressive and attack Dana. And Gwen tries to rescue her with some fire power to shoot off at them 'and not in the sewer waters'.

"Back!" she kept on fighting. "Leave her alone!"

Fortunately, Patrick arrives and scares the rats off.

"I told you not to wonder off." Patrick tells his rat friends to deal with Gwen. "Place her into the waters to swim back home."

They do so for Gwen to fall in for Dana was trapped again.

"No, Gwen!"

"Dana!" she drown to be hurting her powers to try to stop from staying in to getting out of the dirt waters alive to try to find some other way to save Dana somehow. "(I can't let her suffer like this from this Rat Boy. No! I won't give up. I fight back and then I'll set in as Batwoman next.)"

She was brave, huh? Later, they return to Patrick's dwelling. Patrick notices Dana isn't eating and asks if something's bothering her, Dana angrily snaps at him for his kidnapping and for having rats as friends. Angered by her words, Patrick now sees that Dana isn't any different from the other people, having believed she would understand him better. Dana then questions if he's done this before. Patrick reveals in the past, he's kidnapped people similar to Dana's problems and tried to give them a home in the sewers. When Dana asks what happened to them, he pulls out a whistle and says 'They don't make fun of me anymore', implying that he murdered his previous victims, and blows on it. The rats, both giant and regular, advance on Dana.

"Oh, my God...!" Dana panics.

Just then, lots of fire comes shooting out for Gwen to appears and she was mad.

"Leave her alone...!"

"You again?" shock Patrick. Patrick grabs her and reveals she shouldn't have made fun of him, but before he can attack her Batman arrives.

"Ever heard of keeping your hands off of others?"

"(Terry!)" Gwen was sort of happy to still feel a bit sad. "(Doesn't matter right now.) Batman, you came. Good! I'll help you out to get Batwoman in here next. She must be nearby!"

Seems for Terry to notice Gwen from releasing her powers to go along with this.

"(Gwen's powers...She show it to Dana?)" he was surprise to see.

"Batman?" Dana sees the Dark Knight. "I guess you do help him and Batwoman out, Gwen, that's amazing! But how did you-?"

Dana tries to question Batman as to how he found her, but he brushes them off and warns her to stay behind him while he fights them off.

"Never mind that, stay behind me." he said. "Gwen, cover me. I need some of your powers. I don't want you handle this one alone."

The rats begin to advance in Batman and soon they quickly overwhelm and from Gwen's fire power as well. Dana rescues Batman as she takes a hockey stick and sets it ablaze.

"He's fine. Hurry, Gwen, find Batwoman and get out of here!" Dana said. "And make sure I see you alive and well when we both get out too!"

That means she does care Gwen a little more now.

"Ah, yes...Good luck!" she leaves far enough to transform next. "(It's payback time.) Burning passion! Batwoman!"

The two manage to ward off the rats long enough to escape.

"Let's blow this mouse house." said Batman.

With more rats coming from Patrick's control...Batwoman arrives to fight back with skills, items to use, and a whole lot of fire power.

"Guess who?! Thanks to Gweny alerting me to catch up to you, Batman, I knew I came to the right place. And it stinks!" she stops a few more rats. "And for you, Rat Boy, how dare you take advantage on a woman who doesn't like you as a stalker. People like you make me sick..."

More of them coming!

"Kill them!" said Rat Boy. "Rip them all into pieces!"

During the escape, Dana drops the lit hockey stick into the toxic waste, causing an explosion and Dana to fall unconscious.

"Incoming!" Batman said. "Gwen, please help me!"

The fire quickly catches up, but Batman manages to save himself and Dana and they safely get back to the surface allowing Batwoman to step in to get a lot of fire to be stopped.

"That's it!"

And it was all stopped to saving the sewers from the fire to spread on the surface to go out in seconds.

"(We did it!)" said the happy Gwen. (And Dana, I...We saved her...I'm glad she's going to be okay.)"

But was Rat Boy and his army dead?

"Ha! Rats to you, man!" Batwoman made a joke. "Seriously though, we all need a bath after this."

Later as fireman and news reporters arrive at the scene, Dana is sitting an ambulance for Gwen checks on her.

"Gwen?"

"Hey, Dana, we made it out. Batwoman showed me an exit for her and Batman to lead the way out and stopped Rat Boy." she said. "(As long as she can keep a secret to sayign the other things to believe in, then it's fine.)"

"Yeah, a close one. And Gwen, you're alright." said Dana. "I guess we both like Terry with a good reason for one of us to love him. But still, you do anything wrong to be fighting with each other right now, I'll be really mad at you. Talk to him and be friends again."

Looks like it was a start, but both Dana and Gwen soon become friends closer than ever.

"I'll try, thanks for the tip." Gwen then sees Terry to take off next. "See you later, Dana, thanks for understanding me." she says this to Terry next before leaving. "Go to her, she needs you right now..."

"But, Gwen-!" he tries to say something to see Gwen looking fine to put a smile on her face. "Look...I know we'll talk more later, I want to. But other than that, thanks a bunch for helping me find her."

For Gwen to leave afterwards back at Megan's place, she does say this to Terry.

"It was nothing, she's a good person. (And for someone to still care like you do, that's good to know you two are good people who understand me.)"

Will Gwen be back to see him more? Hopefully real soon...Terry arrives once she leaves and begins apologizing to Dana for not being there for her, blaming himself for what happened to her. Dana cuts him off, simply saying shut up, causing Terry to slightly worry. However, Dana instead hugs Terry, needing comfort after her ordeal. Terry the begins to take her home. As they walk away, the card with the flower given to Dana by Patrick blows away with the wind. Maybe he was gone...As Gwen reports back to Megan to tell Bruce about it afterwards, all was well. Almost everything for Gwen to still feel a bit upset, to soon have something happening to her – of someone making Gwen Grayson to go missing.

"(Gweny? What's wrong?! Who just hit you? Gweny!)"

With her inner voice calling out to Gwen with no respond, what will happen next? It wasn't Rat Boy or his rat armies doing on this one.


	22. Mind Games

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 22 – Mind Games

Megan reports to Bruce and Terry about Gwen's disappearances to happen since late last night who hasn't return at her place yet.

"Bruce! Terry! We got a major problem on our hands!"

"Megan, calm down." Bruce reads her loud and clear. "What's wrong?"

They talk to Megan from the Batcomputer to see what was going on.

"It's Gwen! I thought she might be with you, Bruce. Or you, Terry, but she hasn't come back to my place since last night. I think someone must've kidnapped her that wasn't no Rat Boy!" she said.

For Terry to go out as Batman, he knew there was trouble with Gwen to find her right away.

"Gwen?" he was shock. "She can't be kidnapped!"

"Terry, wait!"

It was time to get to work on the search for Gwen Grayson.

"It's okay, Bruce, I can track her down with the device turned off. I'll start looking around Gotham, and you do the same to guide Terry."

You heard Megan, let's get down to business on a person search.

"I'm on it!" Batman flies on out of here. "(Gwen, where are you? Please be okay!)"

It's a dark and stormy night over Gotham and a small family flies through the city in their car. Suddenly, lightning strikes the car and they lose control. Fortunately, Batman is nearby and manages to save them while doing a quick test for something he and Max were studying on.

"Terry, you have to study a little while trying to find Gwen. I'm sure she's fine." she said. "I'll help you find her too. Now repeat the names for me please..."

"Fine." he says the names again. "Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton..."

Terry tries to remember the rest of the presidents names.

"Yeah?"

"Uh, I can't remember the next one." Terry said to Max.

"Come on, Clinton was the fun one, then came the boring one."

Lighting strikes the car for it to go down, and Batman to try to save them. The family is unharmed but the young daughter stares at Batman with a sad, disturbing look. Weird...With Batman seeing them leave – little does he know that the girl was with the out old Gwen to be tied up from the two responsible of her kidnapping.

"(Terry...Terry...? Where are you...?)" she was too weak to do anything.

The next day Terry goes to school, and during a test he sees the girl he saved arrive in the class. She asks him to help her because she 'doesn't want to go'. However, no one else seems to notice her.

"Please, you have to help me." she said to know that Terry is Batman. "I don't want to go. And neither does your friend they have with me name Gwen."

Now Terry knows it was her and Gwen who are in danger.

"(Gwen? With the girl, they also have Gwen too?!)"

Terry goes to tell Bruce about her and from Gwen's whereabouts later on. While Bruce contemplates the information, Ace suddenly notices something is wrong and Terry sees the girl again.

"Is she here?" Bruce asks him to see Ace growling. "If she knows of Gwen to be with her, it might lead us to something. Talk to her."

"Who are you?" ask Terry.

Bruce instructs Terry to talk to the girl and he learns that her name is 'Tamara' and when he asks where she and Gwen are, she mentally places Terry into a hotel room with her 'parents'.

"I'm Tamara. I'm with Gwen Grayson, she's safe with me and she's a nice girl. They're using her fire powers as their own to fight back and me as backup."

Her supposed 'father' notices she's calling someone and angrily approaches her. When Terry tries to stop him, however, he's intangible.

"What happened?" Bruce asks Terry.

"Daddy's mad. But I saw her and Gwen. She hooked up in some I.V. Thing and feeling weak. Too painful to watch." he describes it to Bruce.

Ace felt sad to hear about Gwen's disappearances. Fortunately, Bruce is able to identify the place as Gotham Park Towers.

"Terry, save the girl and Gwen. Please try to talk to her. Between you and me, I know you love Gwen more than Dana. Am I right?"

Bruce has got Terry on that part.

"Maybe I should..." said Terry.

"Wait." Bruce stops him before leaving. "You might not want to do this alone...Bring someone with you."

But before that...Terry and Max go to the hotel and see the 'mother' speaking to an Albino. Listening in on them Terry learns their hotel room and heads out to investigate as Batman. Finding no one inside, Batman searches around but only finds a small doll. Elsewhere for Gwen starts to wake up to see where and what's happening to her now, only for Tamara to calm her friend to have powers like hers to let Gwen know about Terry to come and rescue them both.

"A little girl?" she feels her out. "Hey, you have powers like me...and others who aren't friendly."

"Shh...I contacting your friend, his and your secrets are safe with me. He's going to save us."

Gwen wanted to hear more from Tamara.

"Tell me...who are you?"

She does so for Gwen while Batman was searching around the place to finding Tamara's doll. Suddenly, the doll's head becomes Tamara's and she warns him of impending danger. Just then, the 'father' arrives and starts attacking Batman with a show of incredible strength with fire-type of steam coursing through his entire body. Batman manages to hurl the man out the window and he falls several stories to the ground, but he's completely unharmed.

"They must absorbing some of Gwen's powers..." Terry/Batman to a while guess on why they kidnapped her. "I need her alive."

Returning to Bruce, Terry looks at a series of pictures of children that have gone missing. And who to arrive to help the two out and Max, but Megan since she too had ESP powers to aid Batman on this one.

"You rang? I found who the kid is, Tamara Caulder was born with powers like mine and Gwen's, but those two you saw aren't her real parents. Check it out, Bruce."

Finally thanks to Megan's help, both Bruce and Terry see Tamara and learn the location of her true home.

"She lived in a lonely down apartment." said Bruce. "Megan, I'm counting on you to help out Terry on this one to save the girl and Gwen."

"I'll see what I can do. Lead the way, Terry, and don't call me old."

A team up with the famous bounty hunter in Gotham for her and Batman to do their best.

"Whatever helps will be great for the both of us." he said. "Let's go. (Gwen, I will find and save you. Just hang in there a little while longer for me.)"

Going to investigate, Batman and Megan meets up with her real parents. They tell them that they sent Tamara to a special school for children with paranormal powers. However, when they called the school to inform them that Tamara forgot her favorite toy, they discovered that the school was a fake. The only other information they can give him is that they heard about something called the 'Brain Trust'.

"Brain Trust...? I could've sworn I heard of the name before...I'll look it up."

While Megan was doing that, Batman asks them about the location they might be in...

"Could you tell where this so call school might be at?" ask the Dark Knight.

Terry/Batman and Megan go to investigate the school and discovers that it is in fact a fake.

"All fakes...Wow, they're so on my wanted bounty list for the other teams to hurt a child and kidnapping Gwen like this." said Megan to still do some research of the group responsible.

"Any luck with the Brain Trust research, Bruce?"

Talking to Bruce, Batman learns that the Brain Trust is a secret society that uses paranormal people.

"People with physic powers to use as weapons against others and some to take blood to upgrade into them as their own." said Bruce. "Megan, you learn about them too, right?"

"I sure had...I know who they are." she tells the two boys. "The Brain Trust was a secret international society believed to be based somewhere in Europe. They considered themselves above all the rest because they were capable of accessing the most potential of their brains. The Brain Trust set up fake schools to lure children with paranormal abilities and then kidnapped them. They set out to recruit many gifted persons that would eventually change the world. And with anyone with stronger powers, can be use from their blood to...drink and have their powers upgraded...Gross!"

Seems like it.

"So that's what they're doing to Gwen..." Batman got mad to punch a hole into a wall. "I should've stayed with her!"

"Calm down, we'll get her and Tamara back, both of them!" said Megan. "I hate people like them more than you do. And because of the group itself...Derek Powers might've had something to do into making them to selling them off to Kobra."

"That name again."

Terry was told by Gwen on what she knew a little from the gang.

"You've heard about Kobra?"

"Have you?" he asks Megan.

"Let just say, they're by far the hardest bounties to hunt down." she explains. "I think I got a lead about their dirty work so far."

While investigating, both Megan and Terry discover the same strange man that the woman was talking to and confronts them.

"You...Looks like school's out." said Batman. "Care if you answer some of our questions?"

However, the man levitates into the air and hits Terry with a psychic blast that effectively blinds him. Doing it again on, Megan, it was no affect on her.

"Trying to kill us instead of talking? How sad. But that won't work on me." she fires the blast right back at the man. "You better tell us while you kidnapped Tamara and Gwen right now or else!" Megan had her gun out. "I have powers, but I can still be myself as a human being!" Lost and confused by the psychic blast, Batman is pummeled by the man's cane, telekinetic controlled. "Batman! Wake up!"

However thanks to Megan's help, Batman manages to overcome the man's power and defeats him.

"That was a headache. Your powers are amazing, Megan. Thanks for the save." he said.

For Megan arrest a man name Edgar Mandragora aka Albino.

"Don't mention it." Megan handcuffs Edgar. "He's not going anywhere. And just so you know, Batman, I have to keep my powers in tact...Is because at one point, I almost lost it all when I lose it to train everyday like I'm helping out Gwen, I don't want her, Tamara, or anyone else become a monster. And others to use people as weapons for their sick games must be stopped in their stupid organization of theirs. Come on, we still need to find the two and fast."

For Terry to hear while Megan and Gwen weren't like the Brain Trust gang, he gets it.

"I guess having powers does have their down sides, don't they?"

In spite of their victory, Batman nor Megan learn nothing of Gwen and Tamara's location 'for Max was trying to help out as well on her end' and talks to her doll. Tamara speaks to him and says that she's in a boat, docked on Pier 7.

"Got anything, Terry?" Megan asks him.

"I think I know where they might be."

For them to get to the area right away, Tamara had to do something to help out Gwen to feel weak without getting much air and fire into slowly being drained.

"(Terry...Uncle Bruce...Ace...Max...Megan...)" she sounded sad.

"It's okay, I told them. They're coming. Terry and a friend of his with powers like us." said Tamara.

She knew what Tamara was talking about.

"Powers like us...Megan! And Terry's coming too? They're going to save us. But...I want to fight back too, how can I when I'm feeling weak?"

There might be another way...

"Here." Tamara places a electric blanket over Gwen's body to warm up. "It's not much, but you do take anything to make you feel warm to power up, right? Use it."

It was better than nothing for a slow process of healing.

"Thanks again, Tamara...When I recover fully, I'll get my other self to fight back from those awful people. I promise. We're alike who can't be treated this way. (And I will find Kobra who made this Brain Trust happened to never do it again.)"

Looks like Gwen made a new friend like her.

"Thank you." she said back.

With this information, Batman and Megan go to rescue Tamara and sneaks onto the ship. The man and woman are upset that the Albino hasn't shown up and decide to leave right off. The woman tries to convince Tamara to join up with them but it's useless.

"I don't expect you to understand, but we have your best interest in mind. You're a gifted girl Tamara, just like me. While others can only tap into 10% of their brains, we can go deeper. It's what separates us from them. And from Gwen Grayson's fire power can be very useful as our own human fire type of weapon, think about it."

All the same, she locks Tamara in her room with Gwen 'who was still healing up' and refuses to listen to her pleas to go home.

"(Megan...Terry...We're in here...)" Gwen uses her powers to call up to them. "(Please hurry!)"

Megan felt Gwen's location.

"(Gwen?) I know where they are, follow me." Megan leads Batman the way. "They're in there."

Megan stays out and guards her partner, leaving Batman to sneaks into Tamara's room, returns her toy, and learns that the woman's name is 'Bombshell'.

"I knew you would come!"

Gwen was feeling a bit better now to see Megan and Terry/Batman have arrived.

"Megan. Batman. You guys came!" she said with joy.

Batman just runs up to hug Gwen the most.

"Glad we found you two, can we go now?" said Megan.

"Gwen! I was so worried about you..." he really meant it.

All good to saving one another was fine, they still needed to leave the ship and get away from the other two people with powers.

"Ah, thanks, Terry. Look, we need to escape here. I know of Bombshell and Invulnerable Man are their code names, hard to feel out who they are." said Gwen. "We need to leave and enough time to go as Batwoman."

"Then let's get a move on first."

With Megan leaving the three the way off the ship, The Invulnerable Man then confronts them. Batman manages to fight him off, but Bombshell attacks him with explosive blasts, inadvertently hitting the Invulnerable Man for Megan uses her own powers to fight back to aid Batman.

"Another one?" shock Invulnerable Man.

"But she's different!" and Bombshell.

"So, one with super human strength and the other with bomb-like attacks to have Gwen to give you more fire power I see, right...You two are under arrest for kidnapping and child abduction too."

This gave Gwen enough time to hide and transform to get ready to fight back.

"(It's about time!)"

"I need to help out for the helped me...Burning passion! Batwoman!" she transforms to go back out there.

Bombshell decides to go on herself but is distracted by a vision of Tamara's toy grown to gargantuan proportions, and she is stopped by Batman. Allowing Batwoman to fly in to absorb the remaining powers back into her body.

"Hi...Do you miss me? Because I don't!" she punches Bombshell and then thanks Tamara for helping her out. "Thanks, kid!"

The Invulnerable Man recovers and attacks Batman, but Tamara hits him with a psychic blast that blinds him for Megan's ribbons to pin him down hard.

"Not so fast, dude! (It's game over for the both of you.)"

And because of this, he too is rendered harmless. As Megan gets the cops to deal with the rest and report to Tamara's parents, everything was good.

"We did it." said Batman.

"(Come on, Tamara, I'll walk you back home.)" Gwen wanted to help. "(You'll never have these people ever bother you again. And the money once Megan gets it from those two, we'll give it to you guys to live a better life somewhere else.)"

Better than living in a dump, that's for sure.

"I like that very much."

Yep, the Brain Trust was out of it. Megan got the money to give it to Tamara and her family to move into a better home, Gwen was saved for Tamara to live a good life to controlling her powers well, and...Once Terry and Gwen were alone to remove their masks to say something, well for Terry to tell Gwen to come back.

"Gwen, we need to talk." he said.

"Terry, thanks again for saving me, really...Both you and Megan, but-!"

"Wait!" Terry stops Gwen from walking away by holding her hand. "I talk, you listen. Bruce wants you to move back to still work with Megan to train your powers, and I...I don't want to feel left out. From school, protecting Gotham, or seeing you a lot. I...Also made up my mind who I want to be with, but let me handle it with Dana my way. And I promise you...I just want to make you happy, Gwen. Why else wouldn't i be here tonight to rescue you, I was worried, all three of us are even Ace and Max. Please, Gwen, come back."

He was serious for Gwen to believe in Terry from the mistake he made to forgiving him now.

"Wow, I never knew you did care about me deeply, Terry. I guess in the end...we were both to blame by accident." she said. "Maybe Uncle Bruce does need another hand around his house and I do miss Ace a lot."

"Yeah, what a few weeks it's been. We both made mistakes and learned it to do much better with each other this time."

So, does that mean Gwen was coming back?

"Terry?"

"Yeah?"

Gwen was smiling for she will hang out with Terry more 'to make up his mind now' and move back with Bruce.

"Could you help me get my things back from Megan to move back with Uncle Bruce please?" she asks Terry.

He smiles for he was more than happy to.

"Sure. When do you want to start?"

"(Well, it's about sticking time!)" Gwen's inner self said to be happy about everything.

After getting Tamara back first. But for Megan to hear the whole thing and shows it to Bruce, all was normal again.

"Look at this, Bruce, they're back." said Megan. "I saw this one coming."

"Yes." same with Bruce. "And Terry's made his discussion at long last."

Welcome back, Gwen Grayson! Later Terry and Gwen both return to school and tell Max that Tamara and her family was placed into protective custody with better living conditions and doctors to help her with her powers.

"I love it!" said Max. "Ghost Girl ends up saving your butt!"

"It was a hard fight for us, Maxie." Gwen tells her friend.

"Still, it must've been awesome." she hugs Gwen. "Welcome back by the way."

Well, if it wasn't Megan's help for Terry and Gwen could've been both killed.

"I'd call it a mutual butt-saving situation." Terry said back.

And Max just goes along with it.

"Whatever."

Max asks whether Tamara is okay now, and Terry says he's sure of it—looking into the sky, he sees a vision of Tamara, waving a happy goodbye as she fades away.

"So, she'll be doing okay?" Max asks them.

"I can feel her powers out, she'll be just fine." said Gwen. "We can tell."

From seeing the image of her in the skies for Gwen and Terry, it means that everything will turn out just a-O.K.

"What she." and Terry. "I'm glad we save another person like Gwen to have a good life."

"She needs it."

That Tamara does to live happily and safe with her family and learning how to control her powers thanks to Megan's help. Good ending, huh? And with Gwen back to hanging out with Terry, this might start off their whole new friendship into a relationship with them real soon...


	23. Revenant

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 23 – Revenant

Well, for Gwen to help out her step-uncle Bruce to live with him again, work with Megan still, and hang out with Terry a lot more...Things are finally back to normal again. As Terry walks around school and discovers a group of students along with Gwen, Dana, Chelsea, and Max to all be staring up at the school's sports trophies that have mysteriously been embedded into the ceiling.

"Look at this..." Gwen was surprised. "Who would do something like this?"

"More like how they did it?" questioned Dana.

The coach is very upset over it.

"My trophies!"

"That's sad." said Terry.

Chelsea confides that others are saying that the force behind it and many other strange occurrences that happened were probably caused by the ghost of Garrison Jacobs, a student who was somehow killed while the east wing of the school was being built.

"Wait...Ghost?" Gwen was lost.

"Yeah, the ghost of Garrison Jacobs. It happened where underneath this place before it was made, that old student was killed from falling down into a big hole to die in there from starvation and thirst. Never been seen or heard from again to built the school right where he was killed on. Since then, there has been strange things happening of his ghost to appear again to haunt all of us."

Wow, what Chelsea said was all true.

"Where have you been the last two weeks, Terry? In a cave?" Dana asked.

To Terry and Gwen, they don't say much sine they work with Bruce in a Batcave.

"What...?"

"Oh, Terry, remember you said you tell me who liked more to choose between Gwen or me? Have you made up your mind?" Dana asks Terry.

He didn't tell Dana yet, but he will.

"This again?" he asked.

Terry and his friend, Max, are skeptical, but the rest of the students believe it.

"Come on, it could be some kind of prank or something." she said. "Lots of things to be going on to spread made up stories."

Could be...Later that night, Blade, Dana, Chelsea, Gwen, and a fourth girl hold a séance using an Ouija board.

"A Ouija board? Okay, why did you guys bring me here and what's with the ghost calling on some former cute boy?"

"Sorry, we just need your help is all." said Chelsea.

For Dana had to tell them about Gwen's powers.

"(I should've known...) Dana." Gwen tells her.

"I only told some closes one, remember, not the other thing..."

For Dana to be thinking of Gwen working with Batman and Batwoman, it was better than that for her to feel a bit revealed.

"Okay, I'll help. But remember, my powers work if they have their own to feel out like mine."

"And if it's a ghost, then it's proof enough for all of us." said Blade.

"Fine." Gwen goes along with it. "(With this, I can feel out what'a really going on to tell Terry and Uncle Bruce about it later.) Set it up, and leave the rest to me."

For her to feel welcome from others that like Gwen on who she was and her powers, even her inner self was surprised.

"(It's nice you're making new friends here, Gweny, do let just get this show on the road.)"

They call out to Garrison but the only person who shows up is Nelson.

"What are you girls doing at my work out?" he asks to wink at Gwen. "Hi, Gwen."

She ignores him.

"Hi." she just said.

"And we're trying to call out a ghost." Chelsea tells Nelson. "Or we're trying to."

"Not for the stiff. What do you need to contact a dead guy for? Wouldn't you rather have a live one...Like me?" he was trying to hit on them again. "Come on, Gwen, I'm a nice guy to go out with.

For Gwen to keep her distances, the other four girls move the Ouija board to 'No'.

"The board has spoken, creep!" Chelsea said back.

The girls laughed and Gwen just smiled.

"Oh yeah?" Nelson kicks the board away. "Well, now Nelson has spoken." Nelson is skeptical of the entire thing and kicks the board after being insulted by the girls. However, the board suddenly rises and strikes him in the back of the head. "Who did that?"

"No us." said Chelsea.

Gwen then felt someone was here to be no ghost.

"Everyone get back...I feel danger in this room."

Just as suddenly, the fire extinguishers start to spray and the lights of the room spontaneously explode. Gwen giving no choice but to show off some of her powers to not go as Batwoman to make things much worse.

"Gwen?" Dana sees her doing something.

"What are you doing?" ask Blade.

"Don't panic! What I'm about to do is against these things only...Here goes!"

Using some fire power to stop the spraying for some to die out and shard of lights falling on the to melt, they now know of Gwen's powers besides Dana.

"Wow...Gwen Grayson has powers?" surprised Nelson. "I can't tell if that's hot or scary!"

"Nelson!" The four girls argued with him.

The girls are sure that it's Garrison but Nelson decides to leave.

"Wait, Nelson! Don't move!"

However, as he does, several chairs start flying around the room focusing especially on Nelson for Gwen to stop on her own.

"Now I know you're falling for me." he said.

Gwen makes a fire circle type of wall to protect all five of the others.

"I am not! Just stay within this circle. He can't touch what he can't do if thing is a ghost." Gwen was smart to think that.

More were coming to push Dana out to get hurt...

"No!"

Fortunately, Batman had been patrolling the school and intervenes and saving Dana's life.

"It's Batman!" Gwen plays along. "(Good time, Terry.) Just in time, you have to help us stop...whoever's doing this to be no ghost. Believe me, I felt it out. I had to use my powers."

Besides Terry knowing of Gwen showing some of the kids in school, Bruce had Megan know about it as well to see for themselves.

"Gwen's showing off her powers at her school?" Bruce was surprised.

Megan hears the whole thing from her car.

"What do you think what's going to happen tell the whole world she's also Batwoman? She knows what she's doing, Bruce."

Megan knows what's best. However, he's soon captured and Nelson is nearly killed by the flying objects while the other girls get out safely first.

"Hey, Gwen, bad timing and all, but did Terry ever asked you-?"

"Not really, no." she said. "No time, everyone get out of here now! Hurry!"

Question about Terry choosing one of the two girls will have to wait until later. With Gwen backing Batman up with more fire power to use some without causing a burn to the school, the young Dark Knight had to save his so called rival.

"Okay, Casper. I can't believe I'm saying this, but you want Nelson, you have to go through me." he said.

When Batman saves Nelson once again and Gwen too, a wall sized vid-screen starts to move in trying to smash them. And this one for Gwen couldn't destroy.

"This is bad!" she said.

"(Hey, Bats, get your butt and that bully out of the way!)" Gwen's inner self said to warn them both.

Batman, Gwen, and Nelson still manage to escape.

"How can a ghost do something like that?" Gwen asks herself. "This is getting crazy... (More than that, I feel like I'm being watched more with the same powers like I have, but not in a good way.)"

Later Terry and Gwen talk to Bruce about the occurrences 'while Megan investigates for her husband' and how he too is starting to believe it might actually be a ghost.

"These people believe anything they can't explain is magic." said Bruce.

"Naturally, you don't believe in those kind of things." Terry questions Bruce about it.

Bruce admits to Terry that he himself does actually believe the supernatural, having encountered examples of it in his past crime-fighting career, but says that this situation feels much too juvenile to be an actual supernatural occurrence.

"Of course I do. Both Megan I've seen it all — demons, witch boys, immortals, zombies...but this thing. I don't know, it just feels so...So high school."

"Like those goth type of things? I heard about it a lot."

"That's not the only thing I heard, but seen from what you just did, Gwen." Bruce had to tell her at the worse from her mistakes.

Now what will she say.

"Sorry, Uncle Bruce, I shouldn't showed my powers...It's not the first time either. I did it for Dana when she was capture by Rat Boy to help her escaped. And from the high school, they were in danger to have me feel someone out, and there was, but not ghost. Please forgive me." Gwen felt ashamed.

Bruce moves up to hugging Gwen instead.

"Hey, quit blaming yourself for nothing. Just don't tell them about you as Batwoman. I just don't want you to get hurt." he said.

Caring bonding time, huh?

"Thank you, Uncle Bruce. Don't worry, they think I work with Batman and Batwoman. And...they like my powers more than being scared than the other thing they think I'm doing. (What luck.)"

"I'll take it better than people not knowing about our identities." said Terry. "Gwen, you're doing the right thing. But not so much than your other self as Batwoman can do more."

And keeping it that way too.

"Yes, Terry."

Back at Terry's home, Matt starts talking about the Ouija board and wants to hold a séance to talk to his father's ghost. His mother claims that things like séances and Ouija boards don't actually work. Matt is crushed, saying that he's afraid he's forgetting what Warren was like, in the months since he died. Terry and his mother share an uncomfortable silence. Ah, that's very sad, huh? Back at the school, the girls start to shower in their locker room but the showers start to go haywire. For Gwen to jump in to stopping them t get weaken instead to save the others girls.

"Gwen! Stop! Water is your weakness!" Dana said in horror.

She had to put up with it.

"No...! Ah! I can let this person hurt anyone I care about-! TERRY!"

Gwen calling out to Terry in pain for Dana to hear her say his name loud and clear. Soon water is bursting from the walls, the showers are spraying water everywhere.

"Turn it off!" said Blade.

With Chelsea and another girl saving Gwen from getting soaked to try drying her off.

"She's going to be fine." said Chelsea. "We just need to warm her up. Is it off, Dana?"

"I think so..."

Dana manages to shut off the water but after a brief period of calm, the showers reactivate with the hot water pushed up to the max. Gwen then had to absorb the heat from the water to get her powers back to being warm to saving them this time.

"(Here's my chance...!) Get out of here, I got this!" said Gwen. "I'll heal once I get enough steam into me!"

After escaping the girls wait for things to calm down and return to the locker room for Max to check on them to going back in, and discover a message written in the steam condensed on the mirror, 'I still love you'. They like it but Max and Gwen. Also, who was the message for?

"This is getting creepy..." Max checks on Gwen next. "You okay?"

"I've been better, but I did save them all...I think we need to tell Terry about this one."

And they well, but for one thing for Gwen to feel out was close to Blade and Nelson somehow to solve this mystery to feel something...Big.

Later, Terry learns of the incident from Dana 'for Max and Gwen to tell him about it', and who explains that she and the other girls believe that Garrison's ghost is trying to contact a girl he was dating before he died—Dana and the others want to find the girl and deliver the message to her and a little from Gwen for some strange reason. However, Terry and Dana realize the message was really for Blade as she saw it being written. Terry then begins to piece the clues together as the ghost attacked Nelson and left Blade the message and is wondering what their connection is. Dana, at first, claims there's no connection between Nelson and Blade besides Nelson likes both Blade and Gwen, since he and Blade broke up after what happened at the pier. But then both she and her boyfriend realize that there is in fact a connection between everything that's been happening at their school: Willie Watt.

"That still doesn't explain about the love thing for me or Gwen that you love, Terry."

Dana was going to keep asking until she got her answer from him, huh?

"In a bit...I'll let you know." he said.

"Oh, really...?" Dana questions him.

For Megan gets a match for him to behind it all to see he was still in jail to alert Terry and Gwen about it.

"Willie Watt? Him again?"

"Ah, yes...That nerd again. Remember him? Willie had a long-standing infatuation with his classmate Blade, who didn't return his affection and couldn't even be bothered to remember his name. One time, he even volunteered to be her Robotics tutor, but before she could decline, their conversation was interrupted by Nelson Nash, the school bully, who immediately started hitting on Blade, showing off his esteemed car. Nelson then tossed Willie aside, who accidentally bumped into Nelson's prize-possession, setting off the bully to beat the feeble nerd. Fortunately, Terry McGinnis showed up right on time to prevent a thrashing. Willie was constantly diminished and pushed over by his verbally abusive father, Frank, who lived by the motto 'someone pushes, you push back'. He refused to have a 'wuss' for a son, so he demanded retribution, goading his son to hit the bully "where it hurt". This lifelong abuse and frustration drove Willie to the edge, escalated into him taking his father's advice to the extreme and stealing a GoLeM to exact his revenge. Controlling the mechanical behemoth from a remote position, Willie headed straight for Nelson's car and crushed it like a can. Shortly after, Batman intervened, and took on the robot. The fight ended when Willie inadvertently plunged the GoLeM's claw into an electrical cable, causing both to short-circuit. From that moment on, Willie gained the ability to control the machine telekinetically, each reacting to the other's emotions. On the next day, Willie was visibly depressed, either because he had been defeated by Batman or because the revenge didn't satisfy him as he had expected. However, things started to look up when Blade suddenly invited him to the dance at the pier later that night. The invitation, though, was a mere pretext to spite Nelson, who immediately reacted, and threatened Willie. Consequently, this instigated GoLeM, which had been impounded by the GPD. Willie looked perplexed upon the manifestation of his new found power, and immediately understood what he had acquired. The GoLeM broke out of the police building and headed to Willie. He went to a tunnel to meet with GoLeM, which he could feel getting closer by the minute. However, before it arrived, Willie was intercepted by a gang of Jokerz who demanded tribute for his trespassing. Willie—now overconfident—scoffed the hooligans as the GoLeM crashed in, scaring them away. Willie rejoiced, as he thought that with both the GoLeM and Blade, things were finally improving for him. However, this happiness was not to last. At the dance, Willie was snubbed by Blade, who quickly fell under the charm of Nelson. Then, the bully took Willie outside, and told him to stay away from Blade. Willie stood firm and defied Nelson, who pushed him down the pier. The GoLeM immediately reacted to this, and set off to tend to his better half. The disgruntled and empowered Willie headed back to the party and summoned the GoLeM, running on a rampage all over the amusement park. He was once again intercepted by Batman. Before he could have his fun, Willie's father, who had seen the machine heading that way, interrupted the quarrel. At that point, Willie turned his attention and wrath onto Frank. Batman torpedoed Willie's attempt to murder him and finally destroyed the colossal robot by making it collide with a Condor ride. Willie mourned the loss of his better half, breaking out in tears. Afterwards, Willie was sentenced to three years in Juvenile Hall, where he would develop his telekinetic powers during the subsequent months. The biggest question is this – what does this also have to do with Gwen if it's more of a payback on Nelson and Blade?"

With this information, Terry goes to Juvenile Hall to talk with Willie as Gwen hacks through to listen in and gather some information.

"Ready, Gwen?" he checks on her.

"All set, Terry, I'm ready whenever you are." she said back. "Good luck."

The guard's surprised that someone came for Willie, as no one's ever visited him before (not even his dad). In fact, the guard confides, all the other prisoners are actually kind of scared of him. Terry's surprised to hear this and is unconvinced as to why people would be scared of someone like Willie, but then he gets his first look at Willie since he left for juvenile hall. Since Willie got to juvie, he's stopped wearing glasses and has been working out a lot, so now he's got a much bulkier, more muscular physique.

"The gym really helps me out you know. I want to feel stronger." said Willie.

To Terry and Gwen's surprised for Willie to change a lot.

"(Wow...! He's huge!)" said Gwen.

Terry acts as though he's there for a friendly visit, and Willie seems happy to see him. Willie explains that with good behavior, he can probably get parole in less than two months, which Terry points out will be just in time for their high school's prom. Willie jokes that the gym will have to be repaired first—something that he couldn't possibly have known. As well as this part as well.

"Other than that, how's Gwen Grayson going? I haven't see her a in a while since she supported me before my arrest."

Now Terry was on to Willie saying about how does he know of the damage at the gym, seeing Gwen a lot more than a while, and no one visits him at all.

"What are you saying? That I snuck out of Juvie and paid the school a visit?" Willie questions Terry.

Both he and Gwen were on to him.

"In a way."

Willie looks kind of surprised for a second and turns away.

"I don't know what you're talking about." he was hiding something.

"I'm sure." Terry said it sarcastically and then throws the glass of water at Willie Watt and it stops in mid-air as Willie sees it coming towards him.

"I thought I felt something, Terry..." Gwen gets it now. "He does have powers similar to mine. He must've got it from the head band when he was controlling the GoLeM at one point, remember?!"

It all makes sense, all of it. To confirm his suspicions, Terry picks up a glass of water and hurls it at Willie without warning. Willie reflexively stops it in mid-air and reveals that he has developed telekinetic powers after the incident with the GoLeM.

"(Gwen, what would I do without you?)" Terry tells it to Willie again. "That incident at the pier. It left you with some kind of psychokinetic ability, didn't it?"

"A gift from my friend, the GoLeM."

He admits to having used his powers to mess around with the school, but has kept them a secret to avoid exposing himself. As he ensures Terry will keep his secret, the hall guards storm in, having witnessed the display through the security cameras 'thanks to Gwen's hacking, but Willie manages to escape.

"Willie, stop this or they'll never let you out!" Terry warns him.

But I think it was far too late to change anymore.

"I should've stayed out of it, Terry, it would've been better. I'm out of here. But I will go see how Gwen's up to."

And he flies off, this was really bad...!

"Gwen...?" Terry figures something out. "(He has a crush on her!) Gwen, he knows where you are. Get out of there!"

She feels Willie coming for Gwen to stop the hacking and leave.

"Roger that, Terry! I'll see you in a bit to stop him-! (I can't reach to Terry...This is bad!)"

But the communication goes off to have Terry worry of Gwen's safety from Willie. And that's not all – Nelson, Blade, and the other students.

"(Gwen!)" he panics.

Bruce helps Terry to prepare for Willie's inevitable attack on the school and even gets Barbara to convince Principal Nakamura shut down the school until further notice. Gwen goes back to the school to make sure that everyone was doing well to be ready to turn into Batwoman next.

"Oh, good...I made it just in time."

"Gwen, what are you doing here?" Dana wonders.

"I was feeling out Willie, he has powers. Bad ones than mine are to come here." she tells everyone to leave the place. "People, please! You're all in grave danger! Get out of this school until Batman and Batwoman deal with Willie Watt! He's the one with powers, ghosts aren't real! Now please leave the place!"

Well, it works for Terry to see Gwen was fine for him and Barbara were happy.

"You're a hero to my people." he said to her.

Barbara just did her job as always.

"You better be right about this one, kid. And Gwen herself."

The students are happy for both things worked out well, but as Nelson tries leaving in his car, Willie arrives and forces him to drive his car directly into the school.

"(Gweny...he's here!)" Gwen's inner self warns her.

Nelson challenges Willie to a fair fight, hand-to-hand. Willie agrees and actually manages to hold his own at first, but despite the two of them being equally strong, Nelson still has more combat experience and nearly beats Willie. Willie goes back on his word and unleashes his powers.

"No...fair...!" Nelson was down for the count.

Everyone see the horror for Gwen to use her powers of fire to save them.

"Nelson!" Gwen was scared. "Willie, that's enough-!"

Trying to use her powers on Willie, he fights back to hold Gwen down without her fighting back at all.

"Willie!" Blade tries to say something to be hold back too by Willie's powers. "Stop this!"

"Why? You thought I was cute before and now as a ghost."

Nelson is downed, and Willie lifts Blade into the air, wanting to kiss her. Only for Gwen to use her fire powers to escape to save Blade.

"Leave her alone!"

"Oh, right...Gwen, I like you better." he approaches to her instead. "I know about your fire powers."

This was bad!

"So what of it? I tried helping you, but you just turned away to hurt people like Nelson and Blade. What did to you and your father was very wrong, but you don't have to do this." she said. "And why me of all people?!"

"Why? Well, I did like Blade...Once to get a kiss from her, but it made me realize something. You helped me out so much to know there something different about you after the GoLeM was destroyed by Batman and Batwoman. I fell something, we were the same, I wanted to know you more to use our powers to change everything. I wasn't in love with just having amazing abilities, I was in love more with you, Gwen Grayson."

So that's why he was haunting the school to get to Gwen more than hurting Blade and Nelson.

"In love with me...?" Gwen could get out of Willie's powers. "You can do this a girl!"

"But I just did, and with that I want a kiss from your sweet lips more..."

Willie tries to kiss her, which makes Gwen very mad to release her rage from removing her item for a few seconds.

"You listen to me, Willie Watt...Do what you want to me, say we're alike, have powers, and do something with it, but I'll never love you or use them for hurting others! Not even if you – MAKE ME!"

Nice, she holds it in the punching Willie in the face instead of burning him up. With the other students seeing this, they cheered to like Gwen a lot more now.

"Wow...!" said Nelson.

"Gwen's awesome!" and Blade.

"More than awesome, but a hero standing up for herself against Willie..." same with Dana.

Now it was serious...

"Hey, Gwen, that wasn't very nice-!" While he is seemingly distracted, Batman fires a tranquilizer dart, but Willie stops the dart and destroys the gun easily.

"Trying to kiss a girl by force, are you?" said Batman to get Gwen to hide and go help him out. "Go change, Gwen, hurry!) That's not very nice thing to do."

With Batman trying to hit Willie with the dart, he uses his powers to hold back. And Gwen moving away somewhere gets into her Batwoman suit to transform, and placing her item back on her to control her powers just in time before she would accidentally forgets.

"Burning passion! Batwoman!"

With this being harder than the last time but different, Willie then attacks Batman, who is clearly outmatched.

"Almost didn't watch what I was doing from the kiss I was going to get from Gwen." he said to restraining Batman. "I will find her and she will be mine once I stop you first, Batman, it's payback time."

Lots to stop Batman with, but he tries to hold his ground against Willie to stop from killing him. Then Batwoman arrives to put some of fire out so far.

"Miss me, Bats?"

"About time." he said. "I loss the dart thanks to him, but we can't let him go on like this."

From powers to control, this gave Gwen an idea.

"(Powers...? That's it! Hey, say this to him.)" Gwen tells her other self Batwoman on what to say to Willie.

For her to smile, she likes the idea already.

"Oh, I like this idea very much." she gives it a go. "Bats, cover me..."

"What's the plan?"

Batman and the other students sit back and watch.

"Hey, Willie!"

"Batwoman?" Willie sees his other enemy. "You want some of this?" Batman holds him from behind. "Hey! Get away!"

Batwoman then talks some installs to him.

"Get away you say? Like you wanted to fight back against your old man? A bully who looks good? Or a pretty girl to not like you back? Because you're a big mean jerk who doesn't know when someone doesn't like you back to ignore, you just have to keep pushing them back, you've becoming a bigger muscular villain of a bully with powers."

Now she has said it at Willie.

"Take...Take that back! Gwen and I are the same!" Willie talks back at Batwoman.

"Oh, yes...And forcing Gwen to love you more, huh? Well, let me tell you something, nerd boy." Batwoman said to be laughing. "Wait, did I just call you nerd boy? What I meant to say was from Gwen Grayson directly was this...You are nothing but a wussy of a boy who can't become a real man under there!"

Now she has done it.

"No...Not true...! THAT'S NOT TRUE!"

However because of Batwoman's harsh words, Willie loses his temper and causes a tornado, which in turn hurls a tree from her kicks to hit it with directly into him, knocking him out.

"And bingo was his name-o!" she said. "Ha! You liked that Bats? Gweny? I showed him. A bit of anger issue does make a person with power completely lose it. And this one did."

Looks like Gwen's planned work out and Willie was stopped.

"(I'm glad...I wish we could've saved him though...)" said Gwen. "(I want to feel sorry for him, I once tried to.)"

Batman places his shoulder on Gwen/Batwoman's to know what she meant by it.

"I get it. We both wanted to. I'm just glad he didn't kiss you."

For Terry/Batman to quietly say that to Gwen, they were both wanting something to not happen after all. Willie returns to Juvenile Hall, now fitted with a device on his head that prevents him from using his powers. Once again, he finds himself alone, without visitors. Ha! Nice! Also – what will Terry say to Dana next? For him to be happy more with Gwen; and from Blade and Nelson both learning a lesson too with the other girls like Chelsea to see that the ghost wasn't real at their school, it was time to hear this part next when Gwen's not around.

"Terry?" she sees him.

"Hey, Dana. I'm glad that Willie's put away before hurting you, Gwen, Blade, and Nelson...I guess." he said.

"I know, the whole ghost thing...what a mess." Dana then asks Terry once more. "Look, about you-!"

But Terry has finally made his decision at long last to tell her.

"Listen, Dana, I've been meaning to tell you this for a while...Remember what you said who would I choose to love more form you or Gwen? And to still care for the other one? Well, I thought about ti very hard now to tell you."

"Really?" Dana wanted to hear more.

But it wasn't as she thought of it to be for a good answer.

"From Gwen and I had a fight to see on what I have trouble with between you two. And...From her being put in danger to getting almost kissed by Willie had me scared. Seeing her alone and us hanging out to understanding her powers...I think I care about her more than a friend to me, Gwen Grayson means a lot, and for us...We get into fights to have me to blame, and you're right. This is all on me, not you, Dana. That's my answer, but that doesn't mean we can still be friends of course. In other words...I love you, Dana, but not in love with you in a way to be together as a couple. I hope you understand, okay?"

Well, I guess it's 'finally' official, they're breaking up for good to tell Dana that for Terry was making the right call. Still really as friends yes, but for Dana...

"Are...you...stupid, Terry McGinnis?! The boy I'm in love with picks a girl with fire powers over normal me?!" she got mad to then looking very upset. "So hurtful! It's the dumbest answers to get dumped like to ever happen to me..."

Terry didn't want to end it like this, it had to be said and done.

"Dana-!"

She just leaves crying.

"Just...none of you talk to me, for a while at least...Thanks for being honest at least, Terry, I get it...Bye, and I hope she takes care of you a lot, or I will...!" said the sad Dana.

Well, it's been done. For what Terry and Gwen do now to be a couple soon, it will be something. I think Dana needs some time to cool off. In my version, its a different couple for some problem with Terry and Dana, it just wouldn't work out so well. I don't hate this character at all, she's cool. And she will hang out as friends again to have one guy who loves her a lot for Nelson to hear the whole thing to feel bad for Dana.

"Dana..." he felt bad. "McGinnis, you jerk...!"

Will Nelson and Dana be a couple? Maybe...For Gwen to feel some air back at the Wayne Manor to be a good sigh for her to know that something's going to happen with her and Terry real soon, in a good way. Back at home, Terry and Matt look at old family photos and remember their father. Terry tells his brother that as long as people remember their loved ones, they're never truly gone. True, so true...And for Gwen to feel it out too from Warren McGinnis to know him a little when he was alive.

"(Rest in peace, Mr. McGinnis. I'll watch over your son.)"


	24. Babel

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 24 – Babel

Within the Batcave, Terry, Gwen and Bruce are busy repairing the Batsuit after a battle with Mad Stan while Bruce reminisces about some of his old adventures.

"You didn't think of Mad Stan would try to blow you up with a hand grenade." he said.

"I did, but he had two."

Gwen backs up Terry's story.

"I know I did, Uncle Bruce. Terry didn't see the other one coming." she said. "It was so fast."

"What she said." Terry spoke up for Gwen. "Anyways, Bruce, tell me the rest of the story." Bruce tells Terry about how he once walked into a trap, knowing it may be fatal, and taking on faith that Robin would arrive in time to save him. "How did you know Robin would get there in time to save you?"

"I didn't." said Bruce.

When Terry asks how he knew, Bruce is evasive. When Terry presses, Bruce admits the truth: he didn't.

"Then for all you knew, you were walking into a trap with no way out." said Terry.

"And it just happened knowing that you knew?" ask Gwen.

"(Must've been scary.)" her inner self said as well.

Terry is shocked and a little from Gwen's side, but Bruce admits that being Batman meant that he had to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

"Sometimes you have to. Unlike Robin saving me, or me saving him, or sometimes...Megan."

However, Ace suddenly starts barking and violently attacks Terry and Bruce, forcing them to tranquilize him and Gwen tries to pin him down for it to work.

"Poor Ace..." she felt something from his head. "Something must've made him go mad, like he was under some type of spell."

"But what got into him?" ask Terry.

Terry and Gwen take Ace to the vet, and finds the entire place is filled with animals acting in the same violent manner.

"I guess we're not the only ones with animal problems..." Gwen to feel something out. "I know I can feel a very bad thing hurting the animals to hear things."

"Same with my cat." said Max. "My jumped on a dog."

"But none of us don't know what's causing them to go crazy."

Terry has a point and Gwen wants to know what she was feeling out. Max is there with her cat, and makes an offhand remark about what things must be like at the zoo.

"Well, for one thing...I'm glad I'm not living in a zoo." she said.

"The zoo!" both Gwen and Terry said it together.

Realizing that she's right, Terry and Gwen immediately go to investigate as Batman and Batwoman.

Upon arriving at the zoo, Terry and Gwen sees the elephants trying to escape from their enclosure.

"Oh, boy!" said Batwoman. "Who's trying to let Dumbo go on the loose?"

While Batman manages to stop one of the elephants, the others attack him for Batwoman to surround the animals to stop from the fire she releases.

"Don't hurt them!" said Batman.

"I'm not, relax, Bats."

"(We're just trying to shoot them away. Animals really don't like fires so much to scare them out of it, I'll be gentle.)" Gwen explains. "(But we still got more to deal with than the elephants.)"

Furthermore, a gorilla escapes from its cage and also goes on a rampage. Batman fights the gorilla and finally manages to subdue it. Same with Batwoman against three lions 'one male and two females' to try to warm them up a bit to feel tired out'.

"Bad old puddy tats."

Just as soon as he stops the gorilla, one of the elephants starts charging Batman.

"(Batman!)" cried out Gwen.

Batwoman jumps in to stop another elephant to save her partner. Fortunately, the elephant suddenly stops and becomes docile. What was happening? In the Batcave 'since Ace was feeling find to be patted and kissing Gwen', Bruce tells Terry and Gwen how at the time the disturbances were starting, the military was experiencing interference on their sonar frequencies.

"You two know what that means...?" Bruce asks them.

They knew right away an old enemy was back in town.

"Gwen..."

For Terry to tell Gwen about it, she can feel the person to have the power of sounds.

"I know, Terry...It's Shriek (He's back.)" she said. "Also, I may have ruined his hearing..."

The reasons why because of Batman and Batwoman were in danger for Terry to explain the rest to Bruce on Gwen's side of the story.

"We didn't want for it to happen to him, it just...happened.

As these events mainly have to do with sound, Bruce, Gwen, and Terry deduce that Shriek is behind all this. You all know what that means, right...? Another flashback from Megan Tsuki herself.

Megan: Walter Shreeve was a talented sound engineer and owner of Shreeve Sound Laboratories. After consuming all his money on his research, he inevitably drove his company into bankruptcy. Derek Powers eventually saw the prospect of his work, so he acquired his business and funded his experiments. Shreeve developed a sound suit with four built-in sound generators, each of which capable of different effects. He intended this technology to be used in demolition work. However, Powers had other plans for it. Shreeve was commanded to use the suit to murder Bruce Wayne.

He followed Bruce to Gotham City's historical district, where he attempted to kill him with focalized sound vibrations. Thanks to Batman, Shreeve failed in directly killing Bruce, but he hurt him enough to be committed in a hospital. Before escaping, Shreeve left behind his right hand sound generator, which was vital for Batman to track him down. Later that night, Terry posed as a pizza delivery boy who got his address wrong in order to get into Shreeve's lab. Shreeve couldn't resist an offer of a free pizza, so he let the pizza boy inside his lab. Shreeve allowed the pizza boy to look around his gizmos, and even explained to him how sound masking worked. He then asked him to leave so that he could get back to work, but as soon as the pizza boy asked him about sound vibrations, Shreeve realized he was being duped, so he tackled the impostor. He put on his sound suit and wrecked most of his lab in an attempt to kill the pizza boy. He followed him outside, where he was intercepted by the GPD. Shreeve repelled the police blimps, and escaped. Now turned into a wanted fugitive, Shreeve sought retribution against Powers, whom he blamed for his current status. Powers appealed to Shreeve's vanity, arguing that he should be contented with the absolute power bestowed by his suit. He even gave him a new name, which would fit his new persona and impart fear in others. As of that moment, Shreeve adopted the moniker 'Shriek'. Though Bruce was on a secured hospital, Shreeve had managed to implant a two-way radio in his bandage by bribing a nurse, through which he goaded him to commit suicide. When that failed, and Bruce was transferred into the psychiatric ward, Shreeve tried to drive him insane (and eventually kill him) by suggesting his food was poisoned. However, Batman discovered the hidden transmitter, and traced the signal back to the Zanti factory near the hospital.

Inside, Shriek battled with Batman, making use of several sound effects. He blasted him with vibrations, and then suppressed the sound of the contiguous area, and turned up his suit's volume to hear Batman's footsteps. Batman destroyed his sound masker with a batarang, canceling its muting effect. Consequently, Shriek was overwhelmed by the surrounding sound amplified by his helmet, leaving him permanently deaf. Shreeve was arrested but refused to testify against Powers.

Elsewhere, Shriek shuts off his equipment and explains to his new assistant, Ollie, that his test was a success. Ollie believes Shriek's plan is to hold Gotham for ransom, but Shriek says that he wants revenge on Batman and Batwoman, whom Shriek blames for his hearing loss. He'll force Batman to surrender his life rather than let the city be destroyed – and if Batman doesn't, his reputation as a hero will be destroyed. As opposed to money, Shriek awards Ollie with use of 'the Fork', an electronic device that uses sound to directly stimulate the human brain's pleasure center.

"Much better." said Ollie to be loving it.

Later, Terry, Gwen, and Bruce try to figure out how Shriek is doing this.

"It turns out that Shriek got out for being cured, Uncle Bruce, that's what his record shows." Gwen shows on what she could find.

Seems like it, but knowing Bruce it was far from over.

"And you believe that?"

"Said the guy who lost his hearing, I say no." said Terry.

"I told Megan about it so we can get some leads to stop Shriek before he hurts anyone else or animal again."

Good thinking, Gwen, for Megan to get right to it on her end. However, in the middle of their conversation their speech becomes incomprehensible to each other. All but Gwen to be affected by it. For Megan to call, she tries telling one of them who could understand the problem to respond.

"Ah, hey, you guys...In case anyone can understand me in this message...Do something! Hearing other people talk is like being in a backwards world!"

"We're on it, Megan!" Gwen tries telling Terry on what he and she had to do next. "Terry. We. Have. To. Go. Find. Shriek. Before. He. Messes. With. Our. Words. To. Get. Words. Come. On."

He gets that part as Terry immediately heads out as Batman. And Gwen to transform as Batwoman.

"The. Let's. Go." he said.

"Right." she transforms first. "Burning Passion. Batwoman!"

Through typing, Bruce and Terry communicate over the Batmobile's computer, and Bruce theorizes that Shriek has altered the vibration frequency of air molecules carrying human speech.

"Well, looks at this...Gweny and I are not affected to understand me, even as myself to become Batwoman. Still, it's quite annoying on what Shriek's doing. We better put a stop to it right away, Bats."

The interference is happening all around the city and people are getting violent with one another. Worse, a lift operator can no longer understand the spoken instructions of a landing director and crashes into a crane. Batman only barely manages to avert disaster.

"(Terry!)" Gwen panics.

"I. Got. It."

After a time, Shriek turns off the interference and then calls Commissioner Gordon. He demands that Batman and Batwoman to surrender themselves to him. Barbara protests that she can't deliver Batman, but Shriek refuses to listen.

"You're out of your mind!" said Barbara.

"Duh!" Shriek said back.

She contacts Bruce, who refuses to give up Terry and Gwen or offer them as a bargaining chips, angry that some are talking about using Terry in such a manner and Gwen to be human type of weapon and related to Barbara and Dick to be created.

"He wants Batman and Batwoman." Barbara tells Bruce. "That's his price."

"He wants us...?" shock Gwen. "He's that serious, isn't he?"

That's not going to happen!

"If he wants Batman, he can have me."

Barbara sees how bad this is to not put two other lives in danger, something has to be done. For Terry to leave, Gwen goes to find him.

"I'll get him, Uncle Bruce." she leaves. "We'll come up with something to find Shriek somehow, somewhere..."

Terry faces a dilemma, and goes to talk to Max. It seems that the right thing to do is to give himself up, but she reminds him that he will be hurting both his family and friends and even Gwen. It doesn't help that word of Shriek's demands has gotten around, and several citizens are appearing on the news and saying that Batman and Batwoman should give themselves up 'or one of them' rather than cause them to suffer. Some of these include the zookeepers and the construction worker that Batman saved earlier. Seeing all this, Bruce is disgusted at how ungrateful the city is after all that Batman has done for them.

"That's who're sacrificing for?" Max asks Terry. "For all of us, your family, and Gwen to admit your feelings towards her will be hard not to lose. And since you and Dana..."

"I know...But if I have to save all of you and Gwen, I rather go than her with me."

Gwen overhears the whole thing to meet up with Terry on where they first met together and...what ended Warren McGinnis's life.

"(Man, this is a dumb way to decide, huh Gweny?)"

Still trying to make his decision, Terry goes back to his old home and remembers the incident that inspired him to become Batman in the first place with Gwen tagging along.

"Gwen?" Terry was surprised to see her. "You followed me?"

"I had to, Terry, I wanted to. Uncle Bruce didn't say anything." she tells him. "I see you're in your old home from the time your father was killed, and..."

"Where you and I first met before we became Batman and Batwoman. I remember."

"Then remember this. Other people like our work while others just don't get it. Shriek's way of getting into our minds." Gwen stands up for Terry. "For all you have to care for like Maxie, your mom, brother, other friends, Barbara, Megan, Bruce, a rival like Nelson, a heart broken to leave Dana to still be her friend, and...how you care about me. Do you think your father wanted for you to give up? Or Bruce? You can't let this get you down, I know I won't from my powers for others to understand from school and those who know about us. If you do this on your own, then I'll stop you." she leaves. "I'll do it alone-!"

But Terry stops her.

"Wait, Gwen, not alone...Please."

From Bruce watching and hearing the rest on the news to hate what the people are saying about bad things from Batman saving them.

"Spineless fools." he said to himself.

Having made his decision and Gwen's, Terry and her return to a surprised Bruce, who says he wouldn't blame him for refusing to sacrifice himself for such an ungrateful citizenry.

"Sorry, Uncle Bruce, but we both decided to do this." Gwen said.

"Gwen..." Bruce tries saying something to Terry next. "I wouldn't blame you if you stayed home. Not after what all those ingrates have been saying."

Terry notes that like Bruce, he did not become Batman for gratitude, but will meet Shriek to try to avoid loss of life. T

"I didn't get into this for gratitude." he said. "I have a feeling you didn't either."

"Or me either as you said, Terry."

Terry's plan, however, is to Shriek at the arranged spot, not to surrender, but to fight. Neither of them had figured out how Shriek was managing to project his interference over such a wide area of the city, but Terry points to something on the Batcomputer, suddenly understanding.

"Wait...That's it!" he sees it. "That's how Shriek's been doing all of this! Gwen!"

She gets it too.

"Oh, yeah...To get that far to make sound seem to do weird things, it makes much more sense. Uncle Bruce, we're going in!" Gwen transforms. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Bruce is perplexed, but Terry and Gwen take the Batmobile, unable to explain because the interference has started again. Bruce looks back at the computer, and suddenly realizes: he sees a twin-towered building remarkably similar in shape to a tuning fork. There we go, even Megan tells her husband so to have something fro all four of them to understand one another in time.

"No problem, Bruce, just leave it to the kids and me to hack into the rest with Gwen as backup."

"I understand." Bruce smiles.

As soon as Batman and Batwoman arrive in the area where their enemy is at, Shriek attacks them.

"(He's here!)" said Gwen to be feeling him out.

"Then here we come, Shriek, ready or not!" Batwoman was ready to fight.

The three seem evenly matched until Shriek creates an extremely painful ultrasound tone with the towers that incapacitates Batman and pushes against Batwoman's fire powers. To protect himself from the tone while he is outside the towers, Shriek removes his helmet and hearing aids, restoring his normal deafness.

"This isn't how I wanted it!" said Shriek. "You two were supposed to give yourselves up to me!"

"Really?" Batwoman questions the man. "We don't take those who use cowardly moves against us, mister!"

"You should have gotten it in writing!" Batman tells Shriek.

Fortunately, Batman manages to distract Shriek long enough for Gwen/Batwoman to get to the tower's controls but Ollie attacks him and the controls are destroyed.

"You're in, Gwen!" said Megan on the other line. "We're in. Now, burn up the wiring."

She does so to make this nightmare end for good.

"(A little fire power should do the trick from our hacking skills.)"

"In that case..." Batwoman prepares to fire up a big one from her double staffs. "Ready...Aim...Fire!"

Now overloaded, the frequency causes the towers to fall.

"You're dead, Batman!"

Batwoman flies back down with the defeated Ollie and flies over to stop some parts from falling above Shriek to saving Batman in time.

"(Batman, get down!)" Gwen warns her partner.

Shriek, still deaf, is unable to hear either the sound of their collapsing behind him or Batman's warning, and disappears under the falling building. It looks like it was finally over, but was the villain dead or has he escaped? Hard to say really?

"Well, I can't find him." said Megan. "Ill go report to Barbara about this."

Emergency crews respond on the scene to search for survivors, only for Batman to excavate himself from the debris and Batwoman. They attempt to help Batman, who treats them coldly, remembering that hours before, they were willing to sacrifice him.

"Let's go."

For him to say that, only for Batwoman and Gwen herself to still be supported to him.

"Make up your minds, dumb idiots." said Batwoman. "Hey, Bats, don't let them get to you. Let just go home and think about how lucky we are to still be alive."

Terry and Gwen return to the Batcave and works to repair the Batman suit. Bruce thanks Terry for reminding him why he first became Batman.

"Thanks to you two, it reminds me again why I became Batman, it's been ages." said Bruce.

And for Gwen to being herself to use her powers to control as Batwoman or trying to aid others who do care.

"You know...I never thought of becoming a super hero can change our lives for the better to do so much for others...Others who understand what you, Terry, and me to go through a lot." said Gwen. "But I'm glad. Without you, Uncle Bruce, we wouldn't have the legacy or Batman and others to not be around today and be in big trouble if we did, but we're not."

That's true, but for Bruce to had one thing on his mind to ask Terry about next.

"Tell me, what if you hadn't figured out how Shriek was using the towers? Would you have handed you and Gwen over to him at midnight?"

He also asks if Terry would have given himself up to Shriek, but Terry, evasive, refuses to answer.

"In case you haven't noticed, we've got a suit to repair here." he said back.

Gwen's inner self laughs to say this line next.

"Something's are better left unsaid!"

And this makes Gwen herself feel a bit better too.

"Oh, Terry."

Terry holds Gwen's hand to say something to her next.

"Thanks, Gwen." said Terry.

"For what?" she asked.

"For reminding me on who I am to begin and yourself. Don't know what I do with out you."

This makes Gwen happy for Terry say it to her.

"It was nothing really..." said the happy Gwen.

Without Batman and Batwoman around, Gotham will be a mess for others to think twice the next time they need saving from a villain to threaten so many lives. No kidding!


	25. Terry's Friend Dates a Robot

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 25 - Terry's Friend Dates a Robot

Batman prepares for battle while Bruce trains him on fighting the criminal adversaries. While Gwen learns the fire controls and herself to be fighting as Batwoman on the other side of the Batcave room. The Riddler, Two-Face, and Killer Croc all fight against him, but the new Batman is just as effective against them as his mentor.

"How's Terry doing, Uncle Bruce?" Gwen checks on his progress.

"Like you controlling your fire powers better every day, Terry's improving."

During the fight with Croc, Batman rips his head off revealing it to be a robot.

"I see...But maybe improving a bit too much for you to lay it down on him."

"You like what you saw there, huh Gwen?" Terry asks her.

"It was pretty cool." Gwen answers back.

Bruce says he has improved but could be a little more subtle.

"Not bad, but your execution could be more...upgrade." He instructs Terry to get a replacement robot after school.

Out at Hamilton Hill High School, Howard goes around the school announcing a party at his house but no one seems to be interested. From Nelson and his gang...

"Who I want to see most at the place if I do go is Gwen and Dana."

And the same with Chelsea, Blade, and Dana.

"He can't be serious..."

"What if he is for us to have some fun there? Think about it."

For Dana to see Terry and Gwen to be sitting next to each other to see how Howard was doing, she was still feeling down for being dumped. It might be a while for her to feel better to hanging out as friends again.

"Who knows...And with those two, I rather not stay with them forever." she said.

Terry and Gwen tell him to give up on the popular students and that he's being shallow.

"I just want to be popular." he said.

"Come on, Howard, it's who you are that counts...not what you are like me for others like who I am with or without fire powers." Gwen shows them off a little. "But I still don't want to be a popular one at this school."

"No wonder why you have the hots for her now, Terry."

"Howard, come on..." Terry was blushing. "But you know we'll be at the party for sure."

Howard, however, doesn't care and claims that what he really wants is a cool girlfriend and popularity.

"If I can try to get Chelsea, Blade, or Dana to think I'm cool to have a girlfriend like one of them or some other hot girl, others will know of me." he said to them.

Is that even wise to try to do?

"But Dana might be a bit angry not to go out with any guy right now. (She's still mad at me, I still want to be her friend.)" Gwen then reminds Terry about the robot to pick up next. "Ah, Terry..."

"I know, got to get another robot for Mr. Wayne. Thanks, Gwen."

Terry and Gwen go off to the synthoid factory and brings Howard along for the ride. While Terry deals with paperwork for Gwen to help him out, Howard wanders around and sees Louie, an employee, create a female for an unknown customer. Intrigued, Howard goes to Louie and orders a special order for himself in spite of the fact that he's told that it's illegal. He's specific about her appearance, particularly the height, hair, and eye color, but when it comes to personality, he only says she has to be absolutely devoted to him. For Gwen to feel something out to be an odd feeling that could turn out to be dangerous later on.

"(Huh?! I don't know what this strange feeling is...But something tells me it might be trouble, another robot.) thought Gwen.

The next day, the synthoid walks through the halls of school gathering a lot of attention, especially that of Nelson. However, she shoves off Nelson and says she's only interested in Howard. He introduces her as 'Cynth-i-a' and the two leave. Nelson is angry, believing that Howard doesn't deserve someone like her and plans to 'put him in his place'.

"As if a girl like her can fall for a geek like Howard..."

"Hey, Nelson, be nice!" Gwen stands up for his friend. "It's his first girlfriend to have, and not like you would get anywhere with another one."

Nelson still tires to make a move on Gwen.

"Unlike you and McGinnis are? What do you see in him?" he demands to know.

Feeling scared, Gwen slaps Nelson in the face to feel a slight burn.

"Because he gets me, unlike you do! Freak...!" Gwen leaves after that.

For others to laughs at Nelson, he'll teach Howard a lesson instead. With Cynthia overhears Nelson's plans and gets angry. Later, Nelson comes into the locker room from sports practice and finds that Howard's locker is open.

"Hey, Howard..."

He immediately begins a search. Cynthia is also in the locker room, and when Nelson is in position, she shoves over the lockers nearly crushing him. Gwen sees something for this Cynthia girl wasn't human at all to feel a robot type of feeling.

"(She's no human being...She tries to kill Nelson!)" she was shock. "(I hate Nelson's attitude, but I don't want him to get hurt.)"

News of the accident spreads fast and the students wonder of its cause. Cynthia, however, coldly blows off the situation. The other students aren't very happy with her attitude.

"That girl has some issues." said Max.

"No kidding." both Chelsea and Dana together.

For Terry and Gwen to catch on, she tells her partner about it to whisper at one another.

"Terry, we might have a problem with Cynthia, I saw her hurting Nelson because he tries to hit on her."

Terry, Gwen, and Max go to investigate the fallen lockers with Max despite his objections it's the boy's locker room to bring Gwen along for the ride and discovers hand prints deeply imbedded into them.

"Are you nuts?" Terry tells Max. "This is the boy's locker room! Gwen's fine with me, but having another girl?

Like Max cared.

"Yeah I can smell the mildew." she said.

"Hey, we're in it anyways if we stay close." Gwen found something from one of the lockers. "Look, two hand markings left on this part of the locker."

Terry finds it curious that someone with such small hands could push over the lockers. He scans for fingerprints but finds that there aren't any, which Max guesses that gloves might been worn.

"Maybe this person wore gloves?"

"I find that hard to believe." Gwen tries to feel something out again.

"Got anything?" Terry asked.

She might've got a clue.

"Someone did this to might be Cynthia to be very strong...I'm trying to figure it out next." she said. "(Could it be the odd robot feeling again?)

But to Max embarrassment the boys from gym class are heading in and she hides in a locker and Terry tells her that he'll let Mr. Silverstein know she'll be late much to her frustration. Lucky for Gwen to run into the girl's locker room to aid Max afterwards without the boys noticing. Now that he has Cynthia at his side, Howard re-announces his party and the students are now interested. Chelsea even offers to have a dance with Howard, which upsets Cynthia so much that she cracks Howard's notebook with her bare hands.

"Hey, Gwen..."

Both Terry and Gwen saw something for Cynthia to do for she was a strong one.

"I saw it, Terry, it has to be her." she said. "And yes, I got Maxie out of the boy's locker room. And don't ask how."

Both Gwen and Terry notice this and follow her. They soon discovers Cynthia trying to push over the school's stone logo onto Chelsea. When Terry tries to stop her, she attacks him, throwing him off the building.

"Move now or else." she said.

Gwen got bad to defend herself against Cynthia.

"Don't you..." she fires up. "HURT MY BOYFRIEND!"

Firing one off, it shows Cynthia to have melted parts of her finger to get hit to look all robot-like.

"Stay out of this."

There she goes to know that something was wrong with Cynthia.

"So, she's the robot." Gwen said to fly down to check on Terry next. "Terry? Are you okay?"

Terry's agility saves himself, and Cynthia's strength and abilities, as well as the evidence pointing towards her being the one who injured Nelson and various comments she made to him that hinted at her origins, cause him to suspect her true nature.

"I'm good, Gwen! See? I'm okay!" he tells Gwen to overhear her say something when she was fighting with Cynthia. "Hey, did you say don't hurt my boyfriend? You mean me, right?"

Looks like Gwen did.

"Oh! Did I say that out loud?!" she felt ashamed. "Sorry! I was worried about you and I was thinking..."

"Hey, it's fine. It's sweet of you to worry about me." Terry said to having his hand on Gwen's face.

Holding that moment to stop, Gwen tells Terry on Cynthia.

"Terry, I saw her skin to be plastic to melt with fingers of a robot. This is big to have something like this run loose at our school. What are we going to do?"

They then calls Max with Terry and Gwen's suspicions that Cynthia is a synthoid. Max is shocked that they even could make human-like synthoids, with Terry mentioning that the process is illegal, meaning he needs to do some sleuthing at Synthops.

"Does that mean someone got a hold of one of those things?" she asks them.

"Just keep an eye on her and not to hurt anyone if Cynthia does, the same goes for Dana." Terry tells Gwen. "I still care about her as a friend."

She understood to trust n Terry this time.

"I know, I want everyone to stay safe. Maxie, same with you. Good lucky."

Terry then tells Max to tell keep her eye on Cynthia in case she does anything drastic as he goes as Batman.

"Ready, Gwen?"

"Right." and she transforms into Batwoman next. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

That night, Batman and Batwoman go back to the synthoid factory and finds Louie fulfilling more illegal orders.

"Your little cyber making is over now."

Batwoman sets Louie on fire a little from the pants to scare him with a warning.

"That was just a little taste of surrendering, pal. Don't make me turn you into deep fried chicken." she said. "We need to talk, all three of us."

"You ought to look into getting a synthoid, bat-freak! Two the both of yous." he said to use a remote on something. "It'd give you both something to do on Friday night!" Louie then activates several synthoids and has them attack Batman and Batwoman but they are of little threat.

"Seriously?" Batwoman burns some to cutting the other robots down.

"(Batman, that man's getting away!)"

After the synthoids are done, Louie tries to flee and has a synthoid double confronts Batman to distract him but the ruse fails.

"Can we just talk about stuff? Get a good tip or something?" he was scared.

"Whatever..." Batwoman hacks through the system. "All yours, Bats."

Batman apprehends him and ends his sideline business.

"And you want a good tip? Get a real job."

Meanwhile, Howard is having trouble with Cynthia as she continues to shove anyone who shows any interest in him or tries to stop her. Howard takes her into his room and, after trying to call Louie to get her repaired, Cynthia cites that Howard's her only reason for living and existing. Howard tells her that he wants to see other girls. Upon hearing this, Cynthia malfunctions and becomes outright violent, nearly killing Howard. Max stops Cynthia momentarily, but the synthoid's strength proves to be too great. Max is almost killed, but Batman and Batwoman arrive to stop the carnage.

"Right on time, you two." she said.

Just in time at least.

"Party in the house-!"

"(Not now, please? Robot troubles to deal with first...)" said Gwen. "(I knew it was all Howard's doing with a reason, but not to hurt others. Cynthia's doing all of it to cause a mental malfunction to her entire system to lose it.)"

And for Megan to tell Gwen and Terry all about the robot works a few minutes ago.

Megan: Synthoids were a type of android that could take human appearance, either through holograms or by wearing a synthetic skin. They existed in at least the 2030's and by 2041, the private use of them was heavily regulated by the US government; ones that were able to disguise themselves as humans were illegal. Meanwhile, that same government semi-covertly used human-disguised synthoids for infiltrating and killing enemies of the state. A museum in Grandview City had an exhibit of old synthoid models, referred to in a tour as "experimental synthoid designs". These were humanoid but did not have the ability to pass as humans. In 2041, Bruce Wayne was buying commercially-made synthoids for Terry to train with; they were designed to look like his old villains. Human-passing synthoids were later used as a key tool by the NSA: a large number of them were constantly coming in and out of a NSA debriefing centre. The Zeta Project was a US government project to create a new, smarter model of infiltration synthoid. Eli Selig secretly added a conscience model to Infiltration Unit Zeta. The follow-up droid, Infiltration Unit 7, was far more powerful but lacked Zeta's intelligence.

"Help...!" said the scared Howard.

With a stronger opponent to face, Cynthia gets even more violent, forcing the party guests to flee the house for Batwoman's fire power nor Batman's items couldn't slow her down to keep on going. Since Cynthia is such a formidable opponent, the fight continues for a while.

"Howard, don't you see?" she said. "I was program to love only you."

"These things happen! We can still be friends!"

Not good for Gwen and Batwoman to hear clearly from Howard's mouth.

"Friends...? Are you stupid?!" she got mad.

"(Bad move, Howard...)" and Gwen.

Batman groans and puts a hand over his eyes. Here comes from bad to worse for this type of robot.

"Friends? FRIENDS?!" she starts to crackle with electricity.

In desperation, Howard tries to talk things out with her and naively suggests that they can still be friends which makes Batman slaps his forehead in disbelief at his stupidity.

"Wrong thing to say?" he asks the two crime fighting duo.

"Is it ever the right thing to say?" Batman said back.

"Alright, I'm going in...! Ha!" Batwoman uses her Batarangs of fire and her staff to hit a lot on Cynthia to stop her and then go really haywire. "I think I got her...Kind of..."

I think this robot was going an overdrive now for Gwen to sense this next part.

"(Get out! She's going to blow!)"

The word 'friend' drives Cynthia completely mad. Her circuits overloaded, Cynthia explodes, destroying just about the entire house. Batman and Batwoman escape with Howard just in the nick of time. Batman drops Howard outside where the other students congratulate him on the party and its 'legendary' end.

"Later, gators." Batwoman said to fly off with Batman next.

Howard is happy that he now has the popularity he sought, but finds that Chelsea isn't interested in him, and to make things even worse, his parents arrive.

"So much for getting a girl." said Max.

"But he got popular, somehow..." and Dana.

Terry and Gwen act like they didn't know what happened to arrived of them seeing fire.

"I'll put some of it out."

With Gwen taking care of it, Terry sees of the robot doing a lot more damage when it blows up.

"Whoa...what the heck happened?" he asked.

And for Dana to still be a caring girl, she tells him.

"The party peaked early."

Howard's parents were very angry at both the fact that he maxed out their credit card—thereby forcing them to cut their vacation short, and that he blew their house up, accusing him of buying dynamite. Howard's friends leave him to his fate. Sorry, dude, but he'll be fine.

"Why me...?" he questions himself.

Anyways, once everyone left for Dana and Max, Terry walks Gwen back to Bruce's place to be talking for a bit.

"You think Dana will hang out with us as friends to not hate me forever, Terry?"

"Her?" he hears Gwen about it. "I think she'll get over it to finding someone else. And Howard too without the whole robot thing. We'll probably tell Bruce about one lose control to go on a rampage."

"Agreed. It's for the best without him hearing about the mess that just went down tonight."

Hard to know what will go from there, only for Terry to say something to Gwen, something very important to finally be told.

"Besides that, Gwen, you're awesome helping me solve the case. You're getting better everyday...Enough to understand you more, to help you, know each other a lot, and..." Terry says it. "(Just say it already!) And for me to call you my girlfriend."

Oh, he said to Gwen! To her surprise, it was a joke, right? Not Terry to believe in that word to be very real.

"(What?) Terry, did you say that I was your girlfriend? Now I am to you? And official?"

"Look, what happened to Melanie and me, was a long time ago to not go into crime anymore. And Dana...again, she's special to have someone better, but for the both of us to look out for her."

He was right about that part.

"And Maxie?" she asked.

"What about her? We're just friends, that'a all." he said to move up closer to Gwen. "Gwen, what you said about me as your boyfriend and other things we went through was hard, but I've finally made my decision to be with you and no one else. From the time I admit that I love you, saving you from the Brain Trust, and helping me through hard times, I knew I would find someone who gets me. And for Matt to say that he likes you, he was right about one thing...You're amazing."

I guess it's true for Terry to admit it all to Gwen to accept him as her new and first boyfriend now.

"(I don't believe it, Terry loves me...He's admitting to me he loves me...) This is a dream come true!" she hugs Terry. "Oh, Terry!"

"Gwen..."

For them to hug to becoming a couple for themselves, but partners as Batman and Batwoman to keep a low profile was good to do. For there, of Terry kissing Gwen on the lips to be feel special.

"Terry?" Gwen moves a little. "You seemed very excited. I am too, but wow...That kiss."

"Sorry, I know. I want to take things slow both you and I. For us as Batman and Batwoman to know that we're a team for others to believe in that."

"But as us normally, we can show the world of our love. Understood."

For them to at least hug a bit longer to start off their relationship, Gwen's inner self says something for her to hear the news.

"(Terry and you, finally in love, Gweny, way a go.)" she said.

"You!" Gwen was surprised for her other self to say that.

"(I'm happy for you, really. Make sure he keeps you happy. I got you back, always.)"

And they will be happy on whatever happens to them next from this point on.

"Come on, Gwen, I'll walk you back home." said Terry.

For them to walk together and hold hands to start off their love nicely.

"Okay, but let's take the long way back." she said with a smile.

"I like that."

They do so for Bruce and Megan were both happy to see them in love at long last. It finally happened!


	26. Eyewitness

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 26 – Eyewitness

While on patrol, Batman and Batwoman see a suspicious delivery being made late at night.

"Well, I saying this much...It's not a special pizza delivery." said Batwoman.

"(No, it's far from it.)" and Gwen. "(Best to be ready for anything, Terry.)"

Bruce warns him not to leap in before he understands what's going on.

"I know you'll be careful, Gwen. And Terry, be sure you know what to do before doing it."

They both read Bruce loud and clear.

"We got it covered, and so do I." he said back.

It's nice for him and Gwen to be spending a nice time a lot since they started dating, huh? Only as themselves to work harder and different as Batman and Batwoman. They both see money change hands, but before the cargo container is opened, he attacks, subduing its driver and several of the gangsters buying it.

"Sorry, boys, but the deal's off where all of you are going!" said Batwoman.

The buyers manage to escape, and Terry opens the container to find...a squad of armed police officers and a furious Commissioner Gordon. And Megan to be helping out.

"Oh, boy... (Bruce, we might have a slight problem...)"

"(Barbara?)" surprised Gwen.

Looks like the other crook was a cop undercover.

"They blew the whole thing, Commissioner." he said. "Well, more from Batman than his pretty partner."

"We didn't know." Batman explains himself to them.

"Sorry isn't going to cut it."

At Wayne Manor 'for Megan to give her husband a heads up', Barbara angrily tells Bruce that Terry has messed up a police sting that was in the works for a year. To say about him and hopefully Gwen won't do worse like her boyfriend. She's also looked into his background and discovered his juvenile record. Bruce vouches for Terry, but Barbara warns him, one more mistake, and she'll put an end to Batman only.

"You can't be serious, Barbara." Megan talks to her friend.

But like she'll listen to reason.

"Megan, I hope you won't hold anything back when it comes down to it."

Once she left fro Gwen to come out of hiding, and more for Terry for them to hear the whole thing.

"If even she's my mother to make me on who I am, she can be very rude." said Gwen.

"And it doesn't bother you that I have a criminal record?" Terry asks his girlfriend.

For her to start dating, it doesn't bother Gwen one bit to leave someone from Terry McGinnis.

"No, I trust you a lot."

"But not as much as we'll talk about not making the same mistake twice, right?" Bruce questions Terry.

I think he gets the message for Megan to let her boyfriend know.

"Come on, Bruce, we'll work this out. Really" she said. Easy there."

The next night, Barbara is speaking at a benefit dinner for her husband, District Attorney Sam Young's, re-election campaign. The dinner is interrupted by Mad Stan, on his latest crusade against bureaucracy and corruption. Batman arrives and engages Stan in a brutal fight, driving him upstairs into a parking garage.

"You're all infected with the disease of bureaucracy! But I know the cure, man! All of you must be destroyed! All of you!"

It was just Batman only, but where was Batwoman at? Weird...Barbara follows with her gun drawn to pass by Megan.

"Barbara?" she follows her. "What's going on?! Where's Batwoman? Why is Batman stooping mad Stan alone? Hey!"

In the garage, they see Stan bring out a massive bomb, which Batman disarms before knocking Stan to the ground. Stan taunts him, saying that he'll break out again and cause more destruction. Batman says he's right—and to Barbara's horror, picks up the bomb and brings it crashing down on Stan's head, twice. What the heck?!

"Drop it!" she fires a warning shot. "Sorry, Megan, but I have to do this...I said, drop it!" She turns her gun on him and orders him to freeze, but he turns and disappears.

"What just happened? Batman killing someone?!" Megan quietly leaves to call up Bruce to see what was going on with Terry. "Hey, Bruce, we got a major problem...Where's Terry and Gwen?"

Other officers arrive and check Stan's pulse, confirming that he is dead. This was really bad! Barbara immediately orders Terry arrested, and, when he isn't found at his mother's house, she goes to confront Bruce herself 'for Megan told her husband the short story to believe in him to say Terry wasn't around or he got a call about Mad Stan either. He claims not to know where Terry is, and Barbara warns him that Terry will be arrested as soon as he is found.

"When he comes, you have to hand him over." she said. "Let see Megan try to get all of you and Gwen out of this one."

"If you take him in, it'll expose his secret. And mine. And yours." Bruce tells her.

Bruce points out that doing so will expose his secret identity, which will in turn expose theirs as well.

"What other choice do I have...do we have? Believe me, I'm acutely aware of the ramifications. I have a husband running for reelection. How long do you think that'll last once this hits the Web? No one can protect us this time, Bruce. He went too far."

She knows that well, especially that doing so will likely sink Sam's campaign, but she feels that there are no other options. And for Gwen to get a call from Megan for Bruce wanted her to find Terry to stay with him.

"I got her, Bruce." she tells her husband. "Gwen, get in."

She does to feel out something was wrong with Terry.

"Is Terry all right? Why was Barbara so angry to see Uncle Bruce?

"I'll tell you on the way there."

Megan drives Gwen somewhere to her boyfriend's location. For Terry is hiding out with Max.

"It's Gwen." Max said.

Once Megan leaves to help out Bruce to have Terry trust in them and not Barbara for the time being.

"Gwen?" Terry was surprise to see her. "Why are you here?"

"Megan told me everything on what Barbara told Uncle Bruce, and she brought me here at Maxie's place." she tells her boyfriend. "I was worried to be working to hear the news, you or I would never kill anyone like Mad Stan, just stopping him!"

Gwen's inner self even says so.

"(We don't go too far, even I know that!)"

When Bruce calls Terry, he is shocked to hear the accusation. Bruce asks him to explain Megan and Barbara's eyewitness testimony, and he swears he only knocked Mad Stan out while Gwen was on standby to save the people.

"Bruce, I'm hacked in." Megan helps Bruce out. "Just tell me what to do."

Both Megan and Bruce review the video from the surveillance camera, and finds interference blocking the view of the crucial moments.

"Having some trouble?"

"I can't seem to scan through the rest of the parts...I got the one from Terry knocking Mad Stan out to be alive." Megan kept on trying. "The screen cuts off for five seconds until it comes back when Barbara shoots at Terry."

They soon realize something strange is going on behind the scenes, and deduces that Terry has been framed.

"Let's keep on looking for more clues, Megan." said Bruce. "I'll work on the frequency, you work on hacking a bit more to clearing some parts out."

"I'm on it. We'll prove in Terry's innocence in no time. (Good times, only to help out a close friend on this mystery.)"

On his order, Terry leaves as Batman and Gwen goes with him as Batwoman to examine Mad Stan's body.

"Let's go...Burning passion. Batwoman!" she transforms.

Breaking into the morgue, Batman finds that Stan's body is gone.

"It's gone."

"Gone?" Batwoman sees it for herself. "(He's right!) Ah, Bats, how can the body just leave? Huh?"

Then an invisible intruder trips the alarm.

"(Is someone there...? Terry, we got trouble! Someone invisible person is following us! I can feel it!)"

Batman is cornered on the roof by the police for Batwoman to be stuck in the middle too.

"We're surrounded!" said Batwoman. "And I don't wan to go to jail from setting a helicopters by the cops to lose my crime fighting job!"

Barely managing to escape for Batwoman uses some tricks of smoke and gadgets without hurting anyone 'from Gwen's quick thinking', she and Batman is guided by Bruce to the old Majestic movie theater, where there is an underground tunnel, but Barbara is waiting for him.

"Stay out of this, Megan! Or else I'll arrest you too."

Megan steps in to try talking to her friend while Bruce does the rest of the work on what Bruce's wife to leave out for him to figure out the rest.

"(Let's get out of here!)" said Gwen. "(Batman, this way!)"

Gwen does her best to keep her boyfriend safe from harm, and himself to getting away from the cops.

"Barbara, stop!" said Megan. "I won't let you hurt them. I was being played like you did! Batman's innocent for Gwen to feel it, you know that!"

As the police close in on Batman, Bruce's computer finishes cleaning up the footage of the alleged murder: it confirms Terry's version of events.

"Yes?" Barbara answers the call.

"It's me."

Bruce tries talking to Barbara.

"You're not authorized to use this frequency. Get off it. Now!"

"Barbara, you have to listen to me." Bruce looks closer at the video and sees a shadowy figure in the background. Bruce tries to contact Barbara, but she refuses to listen.

"Wrong." she said. "Those days are long gone, Bruce."

Lots of shooting to be going on from the cops and some stranger.

"Bruce, tell Gwen and Terry now!" Megan fires back. "I'll hold off...whoever's shooting at us...!"

Bruce contacts Terry and tells him the intruder is likely there.

"I found out who's behind all of this." he tells them. "Gwen, you feel him too, right?"

Gwen does to be the shooter himself in the area they were all in.

"(Yes, Uncle Bruce...The invisible person's here! But how do we prove to Barbara?)"

"I know." Terry/Batman has a plan. "Gwen, trust me on this one."

Let just hope it'll work...

"We got your back." said Batwoman. "Just don't slip up."

Batman pretends to surrender to stop the police from shooting, then throws a batarang to reveal Spellbinder hiding behind Barbara, using an illusion to make himself practically invisible. Megan uses her powers to try to make the villain not run away.

"See, Barbara? Here's your real criminal...Spellbinder!" she gets her gun out. "Don't move! Because I won't let you."

He used his illusion technology to trick Barbara into 'witnessing' Mad Stan's murder.

"From the garage place and right in front of you."

"(He almost got away with it too.)" Gwen said to Batwoman.

"It would've been so easy..." He is taken into custody, but not before mockingly informing Barbara that she was so ready to believe the worst in Batman that tricking her was easy.

"Lock him up." she said to then fixing her mistakes with the others next. "Megan, tell Bruce thanks. Gwen, I didn't mean to get you mix up on something that could've been worse."

"We both get it." said Megan. "And so does my lover."

Batwoman herself gets it.

"It's all good."

Barbara apologizes to Batman stating she messed up and accepts her apology, as he has made his share of mistakes.

"And sorry, kid, I guess I blew it." she said to Terry/Batman.

"I've been there." he said back.

The two fly off for Gwen to show herself to Terry to be holding hands while flying, and then...Terry wanted to take his girl for a flight ride.

"Terry?"

"Just relax, let us have fun in the night skies both you and I." he said. "I'm glad we got out of this mess alive."

A nice moment for them to be alone like this, huh?

"Yes, you're right." she said back.

At Wayne Manor, Terry calls Bruce, revealing as a way of further apologizing, Barbara is presenting Terry with a civic service award, earning him kudos from his mother as well for Gwen joins in to go out with her boyfriend to get to know Terry's mother and brother a lot more. Terry also thanks Bruce for believing in him.

"Don't forget about me too!" Megan said on the phone to hug and kiss her man. "It was team work that saved the day to believe in you, Terry. You, your family, and Gwen go have fun tonight."

"What she said."

The two were having their own time tonight.

"(Barbara's a good person, she knows of Terry to trust him even more and Gwen to get to know each other little by little. I love when things do work out afterwards.)"

Bruce also mentions that the police have found Stan, alive and well: inside one of Spellbinder's illicit virtual reality parlors, he sees himself blowing up City Hall, having himself a jolly old time.

"Finally, an end to the bureaucratic nightmare!" he laughs insane-like and triggers his bombs, leveling City Hall. "No more graft! No more payoffs! NO MORE JURY DUTY!"

Dissolve to outside Spellbinder's virtual reality booth, where the police are looking at Stan, still laughing maniacally).

"Wonder what he's so happy about." ask one of the officers.

Well, let just leave him like that while taking him to the police when Mad Stan was day dreaming, yeah...But Megan does get a fair payment once she got her bounty. Some super villains can be weird sometimes.


	27. Final Cut

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 27 – Final Cut

A private jet touches down briefly at an airport to make a minor repair. Its passenger is the Master Assassin, head of the Society of Assassins. He is nervous about touching down on land, even briefly. His fears prove to be well-grounded: Curaré sneaks on board, and, once the plane is airborne again, attacks. The Master Assassin holds her at a distance with throwing stars, but she throws a small capsule that bursts against his chest, releasing a gas that erases his mind. She then bails out of the plane. Curare's back. In Gotham City, someone takes a shot at the Batmobile while Batman and Batwomen were on patrol.

"Wow!" Batman dodges the hit in time.

"(Is someone shooting at us?)" Gwen was panicking.

For Gwen to feel out who it was to pinpoint the person's location for Batwoman to point out to her partner.

"Looks like it's coning down below us, there!"

Recap on who the Society of Assassins were told by Megan herself once again...

Megan: Bruce Wayne became aware of the Society's existence at some point during his years as Batman. They lived by a strict set of rules, stating that any member of the Society who failed to kill his or her target would become a target, hunted by the rest of the Society. According to Bruce, none had ever failed. Some time after Bruce passed the role of Batman to Terry McGinnis, the Society was commissioned by an international arms dealer, Fyodor Davic; he was scheduled for a trial a few days later, but it all hinged on the testimony of Defense Attorney Sam Young. Without the testimony, Davic would walk, so he arranged for Young to be killed. Curaré, the Society's most skilled assassin, was sent to do the job. Her initial attempt was thwarted by Young's wife Barbara Gordon and Batman. After being reprimanded for her failure by the Master Assassin, she tried again, but her second and third attempts were foiled by Batman as well. She was taken into custody, and though she managed to escape fairly easily, the Society immediately began to hunt her for her failure. The Society, however, underestimated Curaré, who had no intention of allowing herself to be killed. She struck back and began to hunt down her former comrades one by one, hitting each of them with a chemical that wiped their minds. After Kurima was dealt with, only the Master Assassin and Mutro Botha were left. Botha was sent to Gotham in order to enlist Batman's help in locating and subduing Curaré. Master Assassin was ambushed by Curaré when his plane was forced to make a landing.

Batman lands and both him and Batwoman confront the shooter: Mutro Botha, the last surviving member of the Society.

"No need for violence, you two. I was only getting your attention." Mutro tells them.

"You got it." Batman said back.

For Batwoman to show off her fire next to Mutro to demand some answers.

"Give us one good reason why I shouldn't roast you..."

He tells the two crime fighting duos that, since Curaré failed in her mission to kill her mark, the Society ordered her execution.

"(Wait...Curare? The one who tried to kill Barbara's husband?)" surprised Gwen.

However, she turned the tables on them and hunted them down one by one. Now, Botha needs Batwoman and Batman's protection.

"And why should we protect you?" Batman asks Botha.

For Batman to ask why he and Batwoman should protect an assassin from another, and Botha warns that once he is gone, she will go after the two next.

"Because if she comes after me, she'll be coming after you two next once I'm gone."

He was right...

"Like we can't handle her on our own." said Batwoman. "What are we, fish bait?"

"Yeah, but thanks for the warning." and Batman.

Batman is unmoved 'and the same with Batwoman', but Botha then reveals his added 'incentive': he's planted a bomb in the city that only he can disarm, which he will do as soon as Curaré has been defeated. The bomb is on a 12-hour timer, which Botha can restart by remote control with a code only he knows.

"Now, what do you two say? Will you help me or see your city go kaboom?"

"(A bomb?!)" shock Gwen. "(Batman...What are we going to do now...?)"

"Beat him up-!"

Gwen stops her other self in time before Batwoman could make a move on Botha.

"(Wait!)" she said out loud. "(I can't hack into it bomb system alone without back up on this own. We're going to need to help from one side to another, Batman, and fast.)"

They have no other choice now.

"Good..." said Botha.

"Ah, man...!" Batwoman wasn't too happy about this. "He's got us now!"

Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman contact Max, who eagerly offers to help.

"I'll do what I can to help you two out. What do you want me to do?" she asks them.

They tells her the best thing for her to do is to try and contact Bruce Wayne, who is currently on a disaster-relief mission in Malaysia.

"If anyone can help us, Max, it's you trying to contact Uncle Bruce for us." Gwen begged of her friend. "And the same with Megan, she can help the two of us hack into the bombing system carefully."

Max is not satisfied with this to try to help out some more.

"It's best to do this for us, please." said Terry. "Gwen and I can handle the rest."

For the two to hold hands, they won't let the city down at all.

"Really?"

"It's for the best, Maxie, we're counting on you." she said.

Botha leaves his hotel room, with Batman shadowing him and Batwoman watching from above for the hacking in to tracking him down throughout 12 hours.

"You got him, Gwen?" Terry checks on his girlfriend.

Gwen's hacking skills were getting very good every day.

"(I got Botha, Terry, as you said to hack into his hotel room. I'm keeping an eye in case we lose sight of the man to locate the bomb that I've learn to do.)"

While Batwoman does from above, Batman keeps an eye on Botha below.

"Just act normally and we got your back." Batman tells the man.

"I'm counting on you two."

While watching him, Terry/Batman calls Max, and is outraged to hear that she has sneaked into Botha's hotel room to look for clues.

"I think I've found something." she tells them.

"She's at the hotel of Botha, isn't she...?" Batwoman asks herself. "She is."

"Max, you have to get out of there now!"

She assures them that she has things under control, even as Curaré enters the room behind her back for Gwen to feel out.

"(Maxie, get out of there! Curare's in the room in you're in! Hurry!)" Gwen warns her friend.

Curaré attacks, and Max narrowly evades her sword, running into the bathroom. But the windows are sealed and she is trapped, so she can only hide in the shower. Curaré enters and slashes through the curtain, and Terry hears a scream over the phone.

"Gwen, Max needs us!"

"Just lead the way, Bats!" Batwoman flies to follow her partner. "We're right behind you."

They abandon Botha and flies back to the hotel. Terry and Gwen find Max, alive and shivering with terror.

"(She's fine.)" Gwen tells Terry. "(It'll be fine, Maxie. She's just scared but alive.)"

She says Curaré stopped as soon as she got a good look at Max and realized who she was.

"That woman looked at me and then flee...I don't know why..."

The two where happy to see Max alive and well.

"Look, just get back home and leave the rest to us please." Terry orders her to go back to her apartment, and she obeys him readily.

Now the two leave to finish the job.

"(We got this one Maxie, trust us.)" Gwen tells her friend that everything will work out soon enough.

In a park, Botha is impatiently demanding that Batman and Batwoman to return to him, when Curaré attacks. Botha holds her off with skill, but eventually she disables him with another gas capsule. By the time Batman and Batwoman return, Botha's mind has been wiped.

"Well, his mind's completely gone from the gas the crazy killer lady used on him." Batwoman tells her partner. "Good that he's out of harm's way a little, but the bomb..."

"(Without him to locate it alive, I can't trace it anywhere. This is bad, Terry.)" Gwen tells her boyfriend the bad news.

For Batman to pick up the remote, which shows the bomb will explode in just over three hours.

"We don't have much time left..."

Terry and Gwen meet with Max at her apartment again.

"His mind's completely gone?" she asks them.

"He's a zombie now." Terry answers.

She feels horribly guilty, but Terry tells her to forget it: Botha was an assassin, he deserved his fate.

"This whole thing's my fault..."

"No, Maxie, your life is important for Terry and me to get that you were only helping us. Botha should've not threaten us to do his dirty work in the first place." Gwen explains. "Still, if we can find a way to track the bomb, we can still stop it."

In any case, their first priority is the bomb. Once she clears her head, Max displays her genius once again.

"Maybe there might be..." Max gives it a try. "Gwen, help me punch in the numbers."

"Okay."

The remote control doesn't give off a signal that can lead them to the bomb. However, Max examines the design specs for the remote and finds it only has an effective range of two miles; she triangulates the signal from the places where Botha used the remote, and isolates a small area of the city.

"Specs on this model say the signal has a radius of two miles."

"Well, how does that help us find the bomb?" Terry asks Max.

"I have a feeling that it will, Terry." said Gwen. "Right, Maxie?"

"Yep. And this is why you should try to pay attention in geometry, McGinnis." Max shows them on what she found. "Look: he reset the timer once here, where you two met him; he was going to meet both of you at the park, so he would have had to set it there. And he must have set it at least once from the hotel..." The radii from the three points overlap in only one small area. "And voila! Math is once again your friend."

Next Max uses Botha' cash card to find something from it.

"And with the cash card of his, we'll find the place he was spending something on."

"(Where the heck would that be?)" asked Gwen inner self.

Then she checks the location against a list of vendors on a cash card she took from his hotel room, and finds only one match: the Gotham Museum of Armaments.

"We got it." Max joins with them. "Let's go."

"But, Maxie-!" Gwen didn't want her friend to be put in danger again.

"It's too dangerous." and Terry.

"Hey, I'm the only shot you guys need my help with. Gwen, you can't hack into another else without my help. Please..."

What other choice do they have...? Gwen then soon transforms.

"Why not...? Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Because they are running out of time, both Gwen and Terry reluctantly agree to let Max come along to help search, in a tight spot they were sitting in.

"This is so tight...!" said Batwoman.

"Max: Ow! Could you get your ear out of my eye?" Max tells Terry/Batman.

"I warned you, the Batmobile wasn't built to carry three people."

"(We're trying to ask Uncle Bruce about it...)" said Gwen.

"All those billions, and you'd think he could afford a back seat."

At the museum, Terry unveils a miniature electronic detector that should locate the bomb's receiver.

"You really need to teach these things for me, Gwen." Terry said to Gwen.

"(I'll let Uncle Bruce know about it later.)" she said. "(And just so you know, I call him that to feel like he's my uncle, but we're not related. I just want to call him that.)"

"And not calling Megan your aunty?"

Terry/Batman made a joke there.

"Ha, you're too funny..." Batwoman said to be silly. "Nah, Gweny just said what she likes really."

Well, that would make sense why Gwen calls Bruce her uncle...For Gwen to use the tracker to find the bomb to be hiding somewhere.

"(It has to be around here...Terry. Max. Stay next to me.)"

They do, for Max was surprise to see some cool items for them to use made by Bruce and Megan. Surprising for her to figure out who Terry and Gwen were working for all along 'lucky guess'.

"That Batcave of yours is like one big toy chest, isn't it?"

"Looks that way, honey." Batwoman said back. "I'm surprised you found out they were working for the old rich man himself."

"I know when my instincts kicks in." Max said back.

Just then, Curaré attacks for Gwen to sense out to warn Terry/Batman and so does Max to be seeing her again.

"Batman!"

Batman tries to warn her about the bomb, but she ignores it. For Batwoman to step in with her flaming double staffs to take her own.

"Forget it, Bats, she won't listen to reason!" she fights. "The only thing we can do is stop the bomb, while the other stops this crazy witch!"

While Batman evades her, he throws the detector to Max and tells her to find the bomb.

"Max, go find the bomb!"

However, as Curaré slashes at the exhibits, debris falls which knocks Max to the ground, and smashes the detector.

"(It's been crushed!)" Gwen started to worry. "(The bomb's here but I can feel it out while we're fighting Curare like this!)"

All hope seems lost, but then Max sees the bomb inside an old bomb casing that was cut down from the ceiling. There are only a few seconds left. Even Max doesn't know what to do, so she just rips the detonator and all its wiring out, which works.

"I don't know how I did it, but I did."

"(She did it!)" said the happy Gwen.

Leaving Batwoman and Batman to both manage to defeat Curaré, and takes her into custody.

"You should've listen to us, but no..!"

Terry, Gwen, and Max patch themselves up at her apartment.

"Maxie, you did well today." said Gwen. "Scary, it was. But with team work for us to handle anything and we did."

Max, in a rush of excitement, asks him frankly how he can stand being a hero when no one knows it.

"How do you two do it?" she asks them.

"Do what?" Terry asked.

"This hero thing."

"A lot of work and training for us..." Gwen tries to answer. "I think."

"It's easier for me and Gwen." said Terry. "I got the suit."

"And me too...Only I have another person of me to help me out."

From Gwen's Batwoman inner self of hers, yes she does. But that's not what Max wanted to hear.

"No, how do you save the world..." Max said excited-like. "AND NOT TELL ANYBODY?!"

Terry smiles and says he has Max.

"For Gwen could tell you, or I can tell you. You can tell me. That's why I'm glad you found out...partner."

For Max love the job to aid Terry and Gwen, it was good to have a partner like her.

"And being friends and partners is what counts the most." said Gwen.

Terry hugs Gwen.

"We're friends, and Batwoman and Batman are partners, but you and I, Gwen, we're closer than ever." he said.

"We are..."

Love, friendship, partners, and such – it's good to have a good team. And the last we'll be hearing from Curare to be put away in jail for good. Also the Socirty of Assassins were out of business as well.


	28. The Last Resort

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 28 – The Last Resort

While patrolling the skies of Gotham, Terry/Batman goes over a few updates on school events with Max.

"Let me see if I got all this: Jurgen is breaking up with Blade so he can see Chris, but Chris is interested in Eric, who doesn't want to date anybody. Now wait a minute, that doesn't sound like Eric to me."

Gwen/Batwoman were hearing all of this.

"School life to loving can be stupid." she said. "Not like you, Bats, with Gwen to love."

"It's not." Max tells Terry the other way around. "You're thinking of the other Eric."

Now she tells them both.

"Aw, man, there's two of them now?" he ask himself.

"Drama teens are so boring!"

No use complaining, Batwoman.

"See how important these little updates are? Without them, people would start wondering why you don't know what's going on at school anymore."

"(What we do without you, Maxie?)" said Gwen.

"I should just tell them I'm busy chasing renegade synthoids and living heads." Terry makes a joke.

Even if Terry did, no one would ever believe in him being Batman nor Gwen as Batwoman at all. For Max, Batwoman, and Gwen to say so themselves to him.

"They wouldn't believe it."

"Doubt it."

"(Not happening.)"

"Neither do I." he said back.

Just then, Batman and Batwoman hear sirens blare and sees a renegade truck giving the police a lot of trouble.

"Finally, it's show time!" said Batwoman. "Let's move out!"

Batman and Batwoman intervene but the truck is stronger than the Batmobile and the driver is flying like a madman.

"We got him."

Fortunately, Batman and Batwoman manage to stop the driver: Sean Miller, a student in Terry's history class.

"(You know this person, Batman?)" Gwen asks him.

"Sean Miller...He's in my history class."

If it was this Sean person, he wasn't being himself right now. Later, the chase forms part of a commercial for a new rehabilitation clinic for troubled adolescents. The clinic's founder, Dr. David Wheeler, reminds parents that new laws are imposing strict punishments on the parents of truants, and assures them that his methods can help troubled kids become normal and well-adjusted again. For Megan to be hearing and seeing this a lot on TV lately, she knows that something was up.

"Dr. David Wheeler, huh...?" she begins her own research. "(Knowing Bruce, he wants me to track this issue down. Because soon enough, he and the other two lovers are going to be need my head.)"

Smart thinking, Megan Tsuki. The clinic proves to be so popular that soon Hamilton Hill High School is nearly empty of students. One of Terry's classes has only eight students left. Chelsea is sure that the clinic is to blame, and sends a protesting e-mail to Principal Nakamura, calling this new solution 'un-schway'. Yep, something was up. This has Terry, Gwen, Dana, and Chelsea worry about this...

"I got this covered."

"Are you sure?" Terry asks Chelsea.

"My Dad does this all the time for things to work out afterwards." she said. "Trust me."

Gwen however had a very bad feeling about all of this to sense out since Sean's issue yesterday.

"(Something's wrong...I can just feel it...)"

Still, something was up. Even more for Dana finally talks to Gwen to see how her and Terry's relationship was doing.

"Treating him with care..." she said.

"Dana?"

"Sorry, I just want to see how you two are doing."

"We're fine." said Gwen. "Thanks for asking. (I don't think she's not mad at us anymore.) Dana, I was wondering if you still want to hang out with us, Terry and I wish to be your friend.)"

Dana gets back to work on her computer.

"Sorry, I'm busy right now." she had one thing to say to Gwen. "But I can help you a little from the SA project we're doing...if you don't mind."

A slow thing for Terry to smile at his girlfriend, but she'll take it.

"Yes, please. (Anything's better than feeling left out. I hope Dana will find someone soon enough, a good man to treat her a lot more.)"

Dana Tan wants to hang out with them, that's a slow start. Mean while...Nakamura calls Chelsea's father about the email, and Mr. Cunningham seizes on the excuse to enroll Chelsea in the clinic. Knowing that Chelsea is not necessarily troubled, Terry, Max, Gwen, and Dana are suspicious at how readily the clinic admitted her, and Max and Dana both agree that someone should look into the ranch, with Max casting a meaningful look Gwen and Terry's way.

"There's something weird happening to the students in this school, and I don't like it either." said Max.

Even Gwen's inner self was getting a very bad feeling of it all.

"(If you think it is, I want to know why before my head explodes!)"

Looks like from Max was giving to the two lovers, they'll get right on it. At the clinic, located on a ranch on the outskirts of the city, Chelsea wanders around and is rudely greeted by Sean, who is already trying to pick a fight, accusing her of talking about him behind his back. She tries to leave him by going to a friend of hers, Adam Stepnik. However, Adam is totally unresponsive to her and she notices that he's painting a blank canvas using a brush with no paint. Sean sneers that Adam is still under the effects of the 'ISO'. Before Chelsea can get answers as to what 'ISO' means, the students are herded into 'class' by Vincent, the head guard of the facility. That night, Batman and Batwoman start their investigation of the clinic, eavesdropping through the wall using their fingertip mikes.

"...easiest thing in the world, being a teenager: you get up, you go to school, you come home, and you do your homework. How do you mess that up?! Yet all of you did, in one way or another - and now I have to clean up that mess!" The class consists of the students being forced to stand for hours on end, listening to Dr. Wheeler yelling at them that they are worthless and he is the only one who can help them. The students are not allowed to leave for any reason, not even to go to the bathroom.

"(Terry, I think maybe Megan might be on to something...)" Gwen tells her boyfriend. "(You're getting all of this right, Uncle Bruce?)"

Even Terry has Bruce listening in as well.

"I know, Gwen." he said to tell Bruce about it next. "Bruce, he's been going on like this for hours, telling them how worthless they are and how only he can help them. Won't even let them go to the bathroom!"

"Painful!" Batwoman added in. "Your wife was right to pick on this mess."

"Sleep deprivation, endless harangues; it's classic brainwashing. Some cults do it. It's also occasionally used on prisoners of war." he said.

True, it does work. Just not to Megan's point of view.

"I don't know, Bruce, it could be bad on others...Some of them."

"And Wheeler's doing it to kids." Terry/Batman said back.

A boy tries to speak up, begging to go back to his room so he can sleep, and Wheeler orders Vincent to drag him away to the ISO as punishment. Bruce identifies Wheeler's methods as a form of brainwashing, used by cults and sometimes on prisoners of war. Disgusted, Batman leaves, but his foot trips a laser and triggers the alarm, forcing him to evade the security guards led by Vincent who is piloting a mobile pod.

"Oh! Now you've done it, Bats!" Batwoman complains. "We're out of here for now!"

They eventually escape by throwing down a smoke bomb and some fire from Batwoman's doing and then using the Batsuit's cloaking device to hide against a nearby tree.

"(I think we have to stop this mess, Batman, no matter what it takes.)" Gwen tells her partner. "(I don't like this school to help out kids, not like this...)"

Back in the Batcave, Terry says they have enough evidence to go to the police and have the clinic shut down, but Bruce reminds him that he would have to explain how he got the suit's recordings which he cannot do without revealing their secret.

"What do we need more evidence for?" Terry questions Bruce. "You taped the feed from me and Gwen's fingertip mikes, didn't you? All you gotta do is take it to the authorities."

"The whole thing sounds like a jail for kids to learn from right from wrong, Uncle Bruce, but in a bad way!" said Gwen.

No kidding, what gives?

"They wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't fake, right Bruce?" Megan tells her husband. "This is not like you...Well, not like you at times when things can get serious."

Megan had to add that last part in.

"I know, Megan, I heard what I needed to hear. And what do I say when they ask me where I got it?" he said to Terry. "A little bat left it on my front porch?"

Yeah, that move could be a bad idea to do for Terry to realize it.

"Oh. You still got that plastic mini vid-cam? The one you can take through a metal detector?"

"There has to be some way...Hacking?" Gwen asks them.

"No good..." Megan brought some bad news. "Even if could hack into the place, they would destroy the virus from their system in seconds. But there maybe another way...One has to go in under cover and the other to watch from outside of the place-!"

Then Bruce knew what that meant since Megan thought of the same thing.

"I've got it, Terry, but you're not thinking of..."

So Terry decides to go undercover in the ranch as himself.

"Some jobs are just too tough for Batman. That's when Terry McGinnis swings into action." he said.

"What?" Gwen didn't like the idea at all. "Terry, wait! It's too dangerous!"

"Hey, Gwen, I'll be okay. You can try hacking through from the inside more than the outside of the place, right?" he hugs and kisses Gwen. "It'll be fine. I'll go under cover, and you go as Batwoman to do the rest to finding out more the boarding school it is. Please?"

Seems they have no other choice.

"Well, I guess...But what's this idea of yours?"

The next day, Terry enters the ranch to pay Chelsea a friendly visit, carrying a plastic video camera that slips through the gate's metal detector for Gwen to do the rest. Unfortunately, the desk guard, Vincent, confiscates his backpack with the Batsuit in it.

"Got it, Gwen?" Terry asks his girlfriend.

"I'm in, Terry...All good to go." she said. "Be careful in there. I feel things that are not so friendly."

On the way in, Terry passes a boy named Donnie being visited by his parents, who is begging to be taken away from the ranch. Terry is told by another guard that Chelsea cancelled their appointment, but doesn't believe it. Fortunately, at that moment, Donnie breaks down and tries to escape through the gate, distracting the security guards long enough for Terry to slip inside the entrance to the main facility, where he hides in an air duct when the guard comes back.

"(He's in, Gweny.)" said Gwen's inner self.

Seeing Chelsea pass, he pulls her aside, and is horrified at the state she is in. She reveals that she hasn't been sleeping much, and she says that she was told that Terry was the one who canceled their appointment. He takes out the recorder and she describes the abusive conditions at the ranch, and explains what the ISO is: a sensory deprivation tank that blocks out all feeling and sound, making the subject feel totally isolated.

"The sleep thing's just the beginning, Terry. He's trying to break our will, turn us all into little robots. Wheeler's got this thing they call 'ISO'. Short for isolation. It's total sense deprivation - no light, no sound. He uses it on the kids who don't get with the program. It...It... (starts breaking down) Terry, you've got to get me out of here!"

"How awful..." Gwen was shock to hear. "That's no treatment, that's torment! Terry, I got the back up tape, we got evidences we need."

Reaching the end of her control, Chelsea breaks down crying and begs Terry to get her out of there.

"That's gonna happen, Chels. Just as soon as two people I know sees this vid. In the meantime, just try to stay schway for another day or two, OK?" Terry said.

"I'll try." Chelsea trusts in him.

Now that he has the evidence he needs, Terry promises to help her as soon as he can return with the police.

"(I told Megan, now we'll handle the rest and the cops. We'll get you all out of there, Chels. Terry and I promise.)"

But as Terry was about to leave the ranch, Sean stops him, trying to pick a fight. Terry keeps going, but Sean attacks him, bringing both Wheeler and his security guards. Sean is sentenced to the ISO, and Terry is searched, turning up the camera. Terry is taken prisoner as well, yelling at Wheeler that once the parents find out about him, they're going to shut him and his ranch down. As Wheeler and Vincent talk, Wheeler says that if anyone comes for Terry, they'll destroy the camera and it will be nothing but his word against Wheeler's in court, but if no one comes, they will do away with him. When Vincent expresses how Terry will not be easy to kill because he is a fighter, Wheeler tells him that they'll just have to 'take the fight out of him' by putting him in ISO alongside Sean.

"Hey! You can't do this!"

"Terry? Terry!" Gwen couldn't contact him. "(No...No...! I'm on my own now...They can't do this to him or the others...No more...) I'm putting an end to it all!" she transforms. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Hurry, Gwen/Batwoman!

"You mess with fire, than you're gonna get burned, Wheeler." she flies off. "Gweny, lead me the way!"

That night, Sean taunts Terry through the wall between their cells, describing the horrible experience he's in for. However, Terry convinces Sean to cooperate with him so that they can escape from the ranch. It would be enough for Batwoman to show up next, so buying some time and fight back was their only choose.

"(Gwen, I'm counting on you to give to Megan to coming to help me out next.)"

She has, Terry, and Gwen's on her way there. Morning comes and the two are taken to the ISO chambers.

"Just think of it as a whole lot of peace and quiet...all at once." Vincent said to the two boys.

But at Terry's signal, they attack the guards and manage to escape with the help of Adam, who takes Vincent out with his easel just as it looks like he has Terry on the ropes. Sean gets hold of the master key card from the downed Vincent and uses it to release all the students from their cells. As well as Batwoman's arrival.

"Hi, boys...I'm not in the mood to talk so let's get the kids to fight back after what you've done to all of them." she tell everyone to move forward. "Children...CHARGE!"

While the security guards are trying to round up the students and Batwoman fighting off the rest with her staff fighting skills, Terry retrieves his backpack from storage and suits up.

"(Good, Terry, here's your chance!)" Gwen said for him ti hear only.

And so he does.

"Thank you, Gwen, you're hot when you fight back."

The guards continue to overwhelm the students and begin to throw tear gas bombs as they try to escape. The guards are about to set off another, but Batman appears to join with Batwoman and they both single-handedly defeats the guards with the students cheering them on.

"Thank you!" Batwoman was enjoying this. "Thank you very much!"

However, Vincent suddenly appears and zaps Batman with an electric staff, but Batman quickly recovers, disarms Vincent and takes him out easily with some burn touch from Batwoman to make him stop for good.

"He's done." said Batman.

Just then, Gwen something bad to Wheeler from Sean's doing.

"(Batman! Sean's dong something bad to Wheeler by ending his life!)"

Batman then hears Dr. Wheeler pleading for mercy, and the two of them see Sean dangling him off a high wall, intent on revenge against him for trying to put him in ISO.

"Are you nuts, mister?!" Batwoman didn't like this one bit. "This person's almost worse than Wheeler himself!"

"(Don't do anything! Let's try to come up with something very carefully...)

Gwen has a point, as Batman pleads for Sean to stop, saying that he's now redeemed himself by freeing the students and helping shut the ranch down, and that he's a hero.

"No!" said the Dark Knight.

"Stay out of this!" said the angry Sean.

"You've made your point! This place is crashed and Wheeler's going to jail!"

"Yeah, kid! Don't make this worse than it already is for you!" Batwoman points out.

"I don't care! The only reason I went along with it was cause I was hoping I could get a chance for this!"

"(But killing him won't do anything...)" Gwen said to make Sean stop.

"Don't you get it? You helped save everyone! You're a hero now!"

Batman and Batwoman are right, he doesn't have to.

"A hero? Sean laughs this off and drops Wheeler, forcing Batman to save him.

Sean is then apprehended by Batwoman, and soon Megan herself and the guards.

"You've loss your chance." she slaps Sean in the face to feel the burn. "Idiot!"

The students run outside, where the police and their parents have arrived. Most of the students reunite with their parents, but Chelsea gives her father the cold shoulder, showing that she still hasn't forgiven him, much to his sadness. As for Megan, she gives the cops enough proof on what Wheeler was doing.

"No need to thank me really. I'm just doing my job with Batman and Batwoman's help too." said Megan. "(Thanks, you guys.) And I love it!"

Wheeler and his guards are all arrested. It was a brand new morning for Gwen and Terry to meet up and hugged each other.

"Terry!"

"Gwen!"

The two kissed in a sweet moment they were having.

"You had me worried." she said.

"But you did a great job." said Terry. "I knew I an count on you."

"I know, I never thought I could do it...Still, sorry about Sean." Gwen felt bad. "We could've helped him , but he didn't listen."

Terry, Gwen, Megan, and Bruce watch sadly as Sean is also taken into custody.

"We'll give him better and fair treatment for him this time." Megan tells the other three. "I'll make sure of it."

For Bruce to be worried about Terry, but it all turned out fine in the end.

"Thank you, Megan." Bruce said to hold his wife. "I got worried when you didn't come back, Terry."

"Bet you brought one of your old Bat-suits with you."

I doubt Terry would see Bruce in one in his age.

"You'll never know."

"But the most important part is this...Never go anywhere you don't know if it's really safe yet until you see it for yourselves, it was all a lie." said Gwen. "Having people hurt reminded me of myself once..." Gwen sounded sad when she said it.

Well, she wasn't alone in it nor was Terry was in danger to getting out afterwards.

"I'm here now, Gwen it'll be fine." he said.

The ranch may have been a fake, but that doesn't change the fact that there are still troubled kids 'like Sean' in the world.

"I hope you don't think this place was typical." Bruce tells that to Terry.

"No. But I sure wish we didn't need them."

And others too...

"I know." Bruce and the other three watched sadly as Sean is loaded into the wagon. "I know."

One more thing to end it all before ending this of an important lesson in this chapter/episode. People, it's serious to talk and teach to those kids of yours as kids or as they get older as teens, it's not too late. No school would change everything, only to sometimes be a bad one to hurt others which won't be good at all; so sit and talk to your daughters or sons to help them change and soon enough – you'll forget it all happened in the past to then move on to a better future, you know? It's true.


	29. Armory

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 29 – Armory

Terry, Dana, Gwen, and Max attend Jared's birthday party. The crowning touch is his stepfather's present, a new car.

"This guy's lucky to have a rich step-father..."

So Max was saying...

"Is it just the case of you being jealous?" Terry teases her. "It shows of him being a good father figure to Jared."

"He seems better since his mother got married to him." and Gwen. "Family is important."

Then the music starts to play again to dance to.

"Talk, talk, talk. Let's dance." said Dana to help Gwen to show off her moves. "Come on, Gwen, don't tell me you ever dance before."

"Not in public, no..."

"Then show your moves. Come on!" she does.

For Gwen gives it a try to really enjoy it a lot to dance through out the party for everyone else likes it, even for Jared to find her cute and the others boys.

"Wow..." Terry couldn't keep her eyes off of her.

"You shake it, Gwen!" Max cheers her own.

Looks like Gwen was enjoying it a lot for Terry to step in to dance with her next.

"You're cute when you dance for me."

"Terry, you're funny. (Thanks, Dana, I'm glad we're friends now and Terry too.)" she was happy to see Dana getting along with them again.

Dana Tan has changed a lot to be happy to have them as good friends. God to know...During the party, Jared's mother, Lorraine, remarks on the extravagance, but Jim says that nothing is too good for his family. A short time later, Jim is stunned to be find out he's being laid off; apparently, Paxton Powers 'not him again' is eliminating his division, light weapons manufacture, and merging it with another. Jim tells his family not to worry: he's the best there is in the business. After several days of looking, however, he is still no closer to finding a new job. He is becoming desperate when he has coffee with an old acquaintance, Istivan Hegedesh, who mentions that his company has secret, in other words illegal, dealings with a certain foreign country which would be very interested in a prototype weapon Jim was working on, a sonic beam emitter capable of blasting through steel. Jim says he'd have to break into Wayne-Powers and steal the design specs.

"What do you say, Jim, I need an answer..."

Istivan mentions a large payment for his work. With Gwen finishing up her shopping to over hear Jim talking to Istivvan about something to do that was very bad.

"(Jim? Something's wrong, I feel sadness, pain, and anger in his heart to make some type of bad deal with this man. He's trouble.)" she said.

Drawing on his experience with Special Forces, Jim dons a combat suit and a mask and infiltrates Wayne-Powers to steal the specs. He is caught on the way out by both the police, Batwoman, and Batman, but manages to evade both with an arsenal of sophisticated, but non-lethal, weapons.

"Well, we're dealing with someone not normal for a super villain..." said Batwoman. "He's too good."

"Way good." Batman added in.

The media dub the thief 'The Human Armory'.

Jim receives a down payment from Istivan, and mentions that he needs to break into one more facility to get the parts for the completed weapon. He mentions running into Batman and Batwoman, and Istivan says that all wars must have casualties, if one side wants to win. Seems likes Gwen gets something down 'from what Megan has taught her', to see that Jim might be the Human Armory. For her and her inner self sees that Jim was up to no good.

"(It can't be!)"

"I'm afraid so. Whoever Jim's dealing with, it'll only guess worse. I need to tell Terry about this to stop him from doing anymore crimes. Lorraine and Jared aren't going to like this." Gwen said to her other self. "Soon enough, it'll be both our heads if nothing's taken care of. Uncle Bruce and Megan wouldn't want this to be done right away."

Jared mentions to Terry, Gwen, and Max that Jim has been withdrawn and preoccupied, spending hours on end in his workshop next to the house.

"Lots of things are going on, I feel bad for Jim...But I just don't know what's eating him." he said to the three."

"I'm sure something will work out." Gwen tries to cheer Jared up.

"I sure hope so, Gwen."

Privately, for Gwen was on about was right for her and Terry confides to Max his suspicions that Jim is Armory.

"You see?" she tells her boyfriend.

"I believe in you, Gwen." Terry said back.

"Wait...You two think he's the Human Armory, Jared's step-father?"

Max was right to guess it to be right about something.

"Only one way for Gwen and I to find out if he strikes again." Terry said to the two girls.

Jim commits his second robbery, and again confront both Batwoman, Batman, and the police, managing to evade both with difficulty.

"Another one...Let's go, Terry." Gwen transforms. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

From Jim taking out the polices' cars to all shut down and Batman getting shock twice now, Batwoman steps in to use her fire shield to stop Armory herself.

"Don't move, mister, or I'll turn you into crisp!"

Trying to touch her, only to get soaked in water to slow Batwoman into trying to heat it up to save herself from her Bat-Suit to come with it allowing the villain to drive off again.

"Batwoman!" Batman was worried of his partner's condition.

"(We're good!)" said Gwen. "(A close one at that!)"

"Man, that Megan comes up with something good with her rich husband. I should be thanking them both..." Batwoman does tell Batman some news after getting his suit fix from getting electrocuted. "I place a tracking device on the Armor up guy to locate him with luck, right Gwen?"

It was better than nothing.

"(It's our only shot left.)"

After saving the police officers from their cars exploding to having everything on fire 'for Batwoman to absorb it and Batman putting the rest out using a load truck of sand', now they can track Human Armory down.

"In that case, let's get to it." said Batman. "Gwen, you might be on to something for your powers to know that something's not right."

"(Yes it does.)" said Gwen. "(We better hurry.)"

Before Jim arrives home, Jared sneaks into his workshop, wanting to know what's going on. Hearing his stepfather coming, Jared hides as Jim returns and meets Istivan. Jim assembles the completed weapon and demands his final payment. But a spider accidentally gives Jared away, and confronts his stepfather. Hearing their raised voices, Lorraine also comes in, and learns her husband's secret. Jim pleads that he has only done it for them, and as a temporary measure, but they are having none of it. The tracker leaves to Jared's house.

"You were right, Gweny and Bats. Jared's step-daddy's the Human Armory." said Batwoman.

Batman and Batwoman arrived outside. Istivan grabs the weapon and opens fire with it, tearing a hole in the workshop for Gwen to sense the danger coming.

"(Watch out!)"

He then runs outside to finish Batman and Batwoman off. Using the weapon to topple a large tower onto Batman, Istivan renders him helpless, and points the weapon—but is disabled by a shot from Jim's adhesive rifle.

"Bats!" Batwoman worries.

"One step, Missy, and he gets it!" Istivan warns her.

Jim says the war is over, and they have both lost. In rage, Istivan charges and knocks Jim to the ground, but Batman takes hold of Istivan once Batwoman burn his hand badly, while Jim gratefully hugs his family.

"Jared..." said the said wife.

"Oh, Jim, why?" Jared felt bad.

"I'm sorry..." said Jim. "I'll turn myself in to make it right. I promise.

For Jim to surrender quietly, Istivan was going away for a long time.

"Take that, weirdo!" Batwoman said to the man. "This guy gets it for his family, and you'll never had it."

At school, Jared tells Terry, Gwen, and Max that Jim cooperated fully with the authorities, and so received a reduced sentence for his crimes. That's good for Jim to get out real soon to not stay in jail for long other than tell what happened and fill some paper work, to then get a good job later.

"Good, Jared, I'm so glad everything worked out for him!" said the happy Gwen. "(Enough to put that man away instead to getting rid of the weapon too."

"Thanks, Gwen."

"So the judge was lenient, I'm glad." Terry said to Jared.

"My dad cooperated in every way. Of course, he won't be home for a while, and there's that fine..." he said for a few things to happen.

"Yeah, I heard you lost the car."

Anything was better than not doing anymore crimes.

"You meet more interesting people on public transportation." he tells Terry and Gwen about it.

He will be incarcerated for some time, and the family had to pay a stiff fine, but he's bearing up.

"You know, I've got my sister's car while she's out of town." Max offers to Jared. "You ever need a ride, I'm there."

Max, who had been feeling jealous of Jared's affluence, perks him up by flirting a little.

"You never made that offer to me." Terry said.

"Maybe 'cause you're spoiled."

Max has got Terry there, for it looks like she and Jared started to go out 'a little'.

"Wait...Jared and Maxie...? I never thought they would end up as a couple." surprised Gwen. "Good for them. Love does something when you get to know a certain someone in your life."

"For the riches to the normal people, it's a odd but beautiful pairing."

Terry puts his arms around Gwen to do a fine job today and saving one man to stop a very bad one for Jared to get a happy end, and a girl like Max. What luck! And remember – don't turn your money making by doing crime, it's not worth anything at all to ruined your life.


	30. Sneak Peek

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 30 – Sneak Peek

Reporter Ian Peek introduces another episode of The Inside Peek where he reveals the secrets of Gotham's elite. He prattles on about how the trainer of a heavyweight boxer is flirting with the boxer's girlfriend, how Rocker Jamie Jerald is illegally getting spliced, and, for the headline story, Paxton Powers's indecent behavior at a private party. Well, no one likes him so that's understandable. Megan watches this to hate people like Ian is.

"(People like him make me sick...)"

False reports he did about Megan Tsuki in the past, not so friendly with each other. Matt McGinnis eagerly watches this last segment, but his mother shuts off the television. Terry, nearby, tells his mother to lighten up since it's just entertainment.

"Come on, Mom. It's just entertainment." Terry said to his mother.

"You wouldn't find it so entertaining if you were on the receiving end." She retorts that he'd think differently if it was him on the show.

Later that night, a crime boss, Jimmy Lin, sneaks into City Hall for a meeting with D.A. Sam Young, to secretly testify about his gang's activities. Lin is anxious that he will be found out, but Sam assures him that they are completely alone. Neither of them know that Lin has been followed into the building by a mysterious man seemingly composed of flashing blue and black matter, capable of passing through walls. Unnoticed by either man, the mysterious figure films Lin's testimony, until Sam sees him and summons a guard. The mystery man manages to disable a guard, then Batman and Batwoman arrived.

"(I sense trouble nearby.)" said Gwen.

"Trouble in City Hall you mean."

Once Batman said that, Bruce was surprise to be happening in the office itself.

"City hall? Better be careful." he said.

"Always am."

"We'll be fine." said Batwoman.

"Yes, Terry, but you've never had to face politicians before. And Gwen needs to be on your feet." he said back.

The two attack to person together, but all his punches seem to pass through empty air while the mystery man is perfectly capable of hitting Batman.

"Hey, ghost boy!" Batwoman uses her fighting styles to fire attacks to pass right through this person. "I missed...? What is this person?"

Finally, the man starts a fire and escapes, entirely unharmed by the flames.

"Batwoman!"

While Batman is down, for Batwoman deals with the fire just in time to help out her partner only for the person to escape.

"I got this." she said. "Good thing you're not dead, Bats. Still, that person's annoying on what he does."

"(More than that, he's too good having some type of tech ability to turn invisible...You think Megan can help us out?)" she asks her other self and Terry/Batman.

The man touches a device on his belt, switching off the blue and black energy field and revealing himself to be Peek. Oh, boy! In physics class at school, Terry learns that solid matter is mostly composed of empty space, and asks if it's possible for some objects to pass through others. His teacher, surprised at Terry's sudden interest and for Gwen to try to get more information about it, for the teacher explains that most scientists believe that to be impossible, but there was one who thought otherwise. For Megan tells them what she learned from the facts.

"An atom is mostly empty space, but empty space is mostly not empty. The reason it looks empty is because electrons and photons don't interact with the stuff that is there, quark and gluon field fluctuations. It actually takes energy to clear out space and make a true 'empty' vacuum." she said. "I hope that answers your question there."

"It did for the most parts, thanks." Gwen needed to hear the rest from her.

But her inner self was still confuse through the whole thing.

"(But how does that explain the person who made something like this? I hate guessing games.)"

Later, Terry and Gwen talk to Bruce and Megan about, who reveals that the man worked for Wayne Enterprises: Nabuo Taka, a research scientist who believed he could 'phase' molecules to allow them to pass through solid matter.

"But what would Taka wanted to use it for?" questioned Terry.

However, Taka can't be the mystery man, as he died in a fire years ago.

"In other words, it couldn't been him." said Bruce.

"No...But someone else who has his gadget does." Gwen took a guess. "I guess we'll just have to get the man to find out."

With Megan seeing where Gwen was getting at to have another thing to say about it.

"And get him for good for breaking int and spying on people's businesses. That's a big crime."

The Inside Peek comes on again and Peek reveals the events of the previous night, telling about Lin's meeting with Young. Terry realizes the connection and heads out to see Peek.

"I guess we were right the man, Gwen." Terry said to his girlfriend. "Why don't we have Batman and Batwoman pay him a little visit."

"Whenever you're ready, Terry." she said to holding her boyfriends's hand.

His show finished, Peek starts having stomach pains. Weird...Batman and Batwoman confront Peek at the studio, but Peek denies any knowledge.

"Batman and Batwoman?" surprised him.

And Batwoman once again acts serious to be a bit silly.

"Hey, I'm on TV. FART!"

"(Don't say that!)" Gwen tells her to stop.

Getting back to the matter at hand...

"You were saying..."

Batman tells it straight with Peek.

"I'm saying that you, or someone who works for you, figured out a way of moving through walls."

Once the Dark Knight said that, Peek just laughs.

"Moving through walls?" he questions the Dark Knight. "If I could do that I'd be a very rich reporter."

"You are." Batman said back.

"Just admit when you did and stop this, won't you?" Batwoman warns Peek.

However, before Batman or Batwoman could further interrogate him, Lin and a gang of thugs enter and try to kill Peek. Megan enters in with her spray cans smoke bombs to stop the men...

"Batman, go see if Peek's still breathing!" she stops the rest of the members. "I can handle them!"

"(I'm on it!)" Gwen somehow feels Peek out. "(He somehow ran outside)"

Batman stops them but loses sight of Peek, who escapes and plants a camera on the Batmobile for Gwen/Batwoman to follow him.

"Well, well..."

"Hey!" Batwoman uses some fire to keep Peek away from the Batmobile. "Keep back! I can't hurt you, mister, but I can get the Batmobile on fire to protect our things from people like you..."

Just then, he pulls out water to hit Batwoman with get weak for Gwen to turn back and allowing Peek to keep her quiet.

"You brought this upon yourself..." he said.

For Batman to find Peek to go missing again, he does find the Batmobile looking well. But Gwen was out and badly hurt for him and Megan to see.

"Oh, my God!"

"Gwen!" Terry/Batman checks on her. "What happened?"

She got beaten up from getting weak by water.

"Sorry...Terry...he caught me by surprise and wouldn't stop punching..."

"She took some hits to defend herself, but the smack to the head might be weakening Gwen." Megan said to help her out. "Terry, you better go back to the Batcave and I'll meet you two there. Want to take the car to go easy for her."

Good thing Megan was around to help out.

"I'm sorry, Terry." Gwen felt bad.

As long as Gwen was still breathing, that's all that matters the most.

"It'll be okay, you're fine. Just get better." he kisses Gwen. "I'm counting on you, Megan."

"Just shut up and get going."

Lucky for Gwen to get treated for Megan to deal with head injuries like this, for Gwen will be fine...Weak and dizzy but fine to still be alive from getting beaten up from Peek, so mess up! Unaware of the camera, Batman returns to the Batcave, talks to Bruce and removes his mask. All of this is caught on the spy-cam by Peek. For Bruce can't do anything about arresting Peek like this.

"Peek isn't really a criminal — unless being a reporter counts."

"But Bruce...He try to kill Gwen." Terry tells him.

Soon enough, Megan arrives to help out Gwen to try to recover.

"Gwen...? What happened?!" Bruce was worried.

"Uncle Bruce...He got me with strong water and try to punch me to my death." she was upset for not trying. "Please forgive me..."

Megan shows the rest on camera.

"It's not much, but I got a little on what he did to Gwen. But I still need more time to look up on the device he uses to turn invisible with..." said Megan. "This might take away."

"I stand corrected...He can be arrested for battery and assault." Bruce changes his mind. "We just need more evidences. Gwen, you did fine and you had me worried. Try to rest up."

Gwen tries to for Terry to keep her company.

"I'll help you to your room." he carries Gwen. "I'll make Peek pay for this."

"Thanks, Terry, you're the best."

Gwen's other self was resting up to recover, so she'll be okay too. The next morning, Terry is woken up by Matt who alerts him on news about Batman. For Megan to see this, it was good to spit out other morning drink.

"What the heck?!" she was shock to look up more into it to hack through the systems herself. "When did her...?"

Getting up, Terry sees a teaser for Peek's latest episode, revealing footage of the Batcave, including blurred out images of himself and Bruce. Even Gwen sees this on TV to not like this at all.

"(I would've sense it out if Peek didn't get the jump on me...! This is bad. Terry's in trouble.)" Gwen tells Bruce about it right away. "Uncle Bruce!"

Peek promises to reveal the secret identity of Batman and his mentor later on the night edition of the show. Terry receives a call from Bruce after Gwen and Megan told him what happened, who has found the spy-cam, but can do nothing to stop the show from airing. While Terry blames himself for their situation, Bruce accepts the fact that their identities are going to be revealed, but is annoyed that someone like Ian Peek had to be the one to expose them.

"I always assumed I'd be found out sooner or later. It's just galling that a piece of garbage like Peek had to be the one." he said. "Megan, I'm going to need your help."

She gets right to it right away without stopping for once.

"Leave it to me, honey." Megan kisses Bruce. "I won't be outsmarted by reports like Peek. I really hate him."

As for Gwen...

"What about me? I want to help."

"Got a match on Peek's DNA hair. Try to feel something out from it for me, okay?"

"What for...?" Gwen didn't get it.

"Trust me..." she puts her fate in Gwen's hands. "You can feel something out from it a little."

And so, she gets to work on it the best she can do while Megan does the other, one step at a time. At Peek's office, he has trouble with his stomach again and gets medicine to soothe the pain. He notices Batman's sudden arrival and invites him inside, but addresses him by his real name, startling him. Peek reveals upon discovering Bruce Wayne's involvement, realizing Terry's identity was simple and proceeds to question him that Bruce Wayne was the original Batman and love interest of Megan Tsuki.

"I don't care what you do to me. But he doesn't deserve this." Terry tells Peek. "He's done too much for this city to wind up in the middle of a media circus. And you leave Megan out of this too."

Ignoring his questions, Terry reveals that while he doesn't care what happens to himself, he demands Bruce be left out of this, considering all he has done for Gotham.

"He means a lot to you, doesn't he?" he questions Terry.

"Yeah, he does. And so does Gwen Grayson..."

"Oh, and Gwen must be Batwoman...I heard what happen to her, I had to defend myself is all, but she's alive, right? And I believe you." said Peek. "I really do. That's the trouble with this business. You meet so many liars you forget what sincerity sounds like. Want to say it all again while I've got the camera running?" Peek realizes how much Bruce means to him but still refuses, then mockingly asks for an interview, causing Terry to leave.

Now Peek had to say about Gwen's condition.

"You try to kill her...!"

"After she got in my way." he said back. "I'm still doing my job kid, like it or not."

Terry returns home and finds that, along with the rest of Gotham City, both Matt and Mary are excited about seeing the show.

"I thought you said it wouldn't be entertaining if you were on the receiving end." Terry tells his mom.

Yeah, no kidding – that she did.

"Yeah, well, what do I know?" Mary brushes off her earlier remark, as Terry ironically convinced her 'it's just entertainment'.

Meanwhile, as Peek is getting ready for the show, he takes a tablet for his stomach pains, but it seems to have gotten worse by now. He looks down in horror and sees that his body is partially 'phased' even without the belt. Soon Gwen gets something to feel out for a little of Peek's hair was invisible to turn in seconds.

"(Huh?! Did the hair just...?) Megan!" she alerts her friend. "Peek's hair just turned invisible completely!"

"Let me see..." Megan scans it a bit more to then reveal something shocking from her computer to be very bad for the sneaky reporter. "Gwen, we have to tell Bruce to tell Terry about this now and fast. And if you're going to fight, be on your toes."

She has some fire to use with her inner self to back Gwen up a bit.

"I think I got some fire power to use while recovering."

At Terry's home, his mother and Matt are getting ready as the show is just about to begin.

"Mom, Matt, there's something I need to tell you."

"After the show, dear." she said.

Terry, however, deciding it's best they learn the truth from him first, confesses that he's Batman.

"No! It can't wait!" Terry says it. "I-I'm...Batman."

However, his mother and brother just laugh.

"My brother Batman?" said the laughing Matt. "Yeah right!"

"Seriously, I am!" he said.

"Terry, please!" his mother finds it hard to believe to not be true.

The show starts to air, but is abruptly postponed. While Matt and Mary are disappointed, Terry becomes suspicious and discreetly telephones Bruce, but there is no answer, so he goes to investigate. But Gwen does call her boyfriend.

"Gwen?"

"Terry, Megan and I are heading to the TV station. Uncle Bruce's meeting with Peek." she said. "But that's not all we have to tell you...Just meet us there!"

"And hurry!" Megan yells on the phone.

Terry will join with the two girls. Bruce appears at Peek's studio in response to an urgent summoning. Peek says his body is slowly becoming completely intangible and asks Bruce to use his company's resources to find a cure. Bruce states that there are other companies, but Peek states that Bruce's had Taka, causing Bruce to question what he had to do with the situation. Peek then confesses that he was the last to interview Taka before he died, but Bruce denies that Taka would've talked to someone like him. Peek tells him he's a resourceful man and that he has all his research and his belt. This makes Bruce realize that Peek not only stole the belt, but was also the one who started the fire that killed Taka. Peek admits it and shamelessly defends his actions saying he had to have it in order to kick his career into high gear.

"Were you also the one who hurt my friend, Gwen Grayson?" he asks Peek.

From there, Peek admits to everything.

"Gwen as Batwoman...? I did, okay? I had to...Her powers were strong to get into my scope of the century and for her I had to knock her until tomorrow to use her weakness against the girl-!"

Now Bruce was mad.

"She almost died because of you!" angered Bruce.

Disgusted, Bruce refuses to help him, and Peek threatens to expose both him, Gwen, and Terry. Bruce sees his body further deteriorating and keeps walking. Desperate, Peek tries to give back the footage by throwing it at Bruce's feet, but he still refuses.

"Please...help me...!

Enraged, Peek attacks and nearly kills Bruce but Batman arrives and saves him. With Gwen using her fire to trap Peek and Megan with her gun out.

"You tried to kill me!" she said.

"Don't move, Peek!" Megan had him now. "You're under arrest for assaulting Gwen, spying on others, breaking into people's places, and trying to kill Mr. Wayne!"

"I second that." Batman said as well.

Peek continues to fight and raises a gun, but his finger, and then his whole hand, become intangible, followed shortly by his entire body. Still at the mercy of gravity, Peek sinks through the floor, yelling for help.

"HELP!" Peek falls to the ground levels.

"Terry, go after him! I got Bruce and the footage." said Megan. "Go!"

"I want to help, Terry!"

Batman allows it to give Gwen a lift.

"Stay next to me." he said. "And hold on tight...or as long as you like."

Batman and Gwen give chase while Bruce picks up the disc containing the spy-cam footage for Megan to hold on to.

"Should I delete it?"

"It's fine, Megan." Bruce holds on to the disc instead. "I take it that the belt Peek's using is slowly killing him."

"The more someone like him uses it a lot, the worse it'll take hold of your body to eat you alive from the many invisible parts to hurt your body, all of it until it's too late. He murder Taka for it and now it's karma time." Megan learned all about it.

Batman and Gwen just manage to reach the lowest basement level as Peek is sinking through it.

"(I say this is Peek's just defeat to me.)" said Gwen's inner self.

Batman tells Peek to control his solidity so he could pull him up, and it seems to work at first, but he loses control and helplessly sinks into the ground.

"NOOO!" he cries out.

"Peek!" Gwen felt bad to not save him in time. "I know what he did to me was wrong, but he would've got prison time...Not dearth like this...He's gone, Terry, he's just going to keep on flying until he fades away into nothing."

Terry/Batman hugs Gwen to do something without being Batwoman again to do great.

"Hey, we tried. It's ashamed it happened. He should've mess with something that wasn't his or got intto our business. But, Gwen, we're okay. Our secrets' safe."

"It is...And you did help me out a lot."

Gwen and Terry kisses to fall on the ground to make a out a little.

"Wow...What a kisser!" he said.

Bruce and Megan arrived and explains that in his phased state, Peek will likely keep right on falling until he reaches the center of the Earth, remarking that 'it's about as inside as you could get'. What a bad way to go.

"Uncle Bruce. Megan. We did it." Gwen tells the other two.

"What's gonna happen to him?" Terry asks Bruce.

"My guess, he'll keep right on falling till he reaches the center of the Earth. It's about as 'inside' as you can get."

And a very bad way to go for Peek to be nothing left of him but a memory after tonight for Inside Peek is over.

"Well, I guess karma does suck." she said to tell Gwen and Terry to get back up. "Hey, you two. No making out like that...I have a best place you can do it more and then some."

"And where's that at?" Gwen asks.

For Megan and Bruce looked at each other to show from their old hiding spots to become a nice looking apartment places to be built over to for Terry and think about doing with Gwen in the later future...

"It's where a old home use to be for Bruce and I to make out...And now it's rebuilt to a nice apartment place to think about later. Right, Bruce?"

"We did have good times there." he said to hug Megan.

For Terry and Gwen to look at each other to like it to keep it in mind.

"(Without any peeping tom's around should be good to live in, you love birds.)" said Gwen inner half.

Well, good memories, huh? And Peek...Bummer, but he did it all to be a murderer, doing illegal things, be rich, almost murder both Bruce and Gwen, and learn the hard way what happens when you play with something so much to ruined your life and it did. Turning yourself invisible to make you walk through walls and such even sold floors was a bad way a go. Still, I hate reporters like he was.


	31. The Eggbaby

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 31 – The Eggbaby

A truck drives up to a large mansion just outside of Gotham. A trio of people gets out: two men (Carl and Slim) and a middle-aged woman. The three break into the house and convince the butler to show them where the safe is. After finding the safe, the group blows it open and the woman (the mother of the two younger men) sorts through the valuables and steals a ruby ring. All other items are shunned. The next day, Bruce calls up Terr and Gweny and tells him about the robbery.

"Hi, Uncle Bruce. Anything big from the mysterious robbery since last night?" Gwen asked.

"I think Megan will give you a background check on them on what she told me.

Bruce allows for his wife Megan to give the two couples/crime fighting duo the backgrounds of the three wanted bounty criminals.

"Her name is Ma Mayhem with her two sons, Slim and Carl. Named by a tabloid in the 'golden age of alliteration', Ma Mayhem and her husband ran afoul of the law and committed a series of unnamed crimes, presumably old-fashioned heists. She had two sons, Slim and Carl, whom she kept on a tight leash and disciplined with tough love. At some point, her husband ran off with another woman, leaving the gang comprised of only Ma and her sons. From that point on, Ma Mayhem refused to be reminded of how her husband left her with something, and often pretended that her husband died. After getting out of prison, Ma Mayhem embarked on a crime spree to reclaim a set of rubies which held special meaning for her. It was the first swag she and her husband had stolen together, and had promised never to fence it." she tells about her sons next. "Slim served as the thieving family's safe cracker. He followed his mother in her plan to steal back various pieces of jewelry she had stolen earlier, though somewhat reluctantly. He disliked his mother's plan to only steal the jewelry, while instead they could have stolen items worth more than ten times that. Carl was the muscle of the crime family, but not very bright. With his mother and brother, he went after several jewels that his mother had stolen years earlier. Dumb, strong, strange, and weird as they all seems, they can be tricky to stop."

With Megan at work and Bruce telling them about more robberies they were doing of rubies only.

"I heard some women have a thing for jewels to be their money." said Gwen. "I really don't like them on me."

"(They met on Gweny's hands anyways.)"

For Gwen's inner self to say that to have trouble wearing some of it. Apparently, Ma Mayhem has been stealing ruby jewelry but for unknown reasons.

"What does she want with rubies?" Terry asks Bruce.

"I don't know, but I'll bet she's not making slippers."

For to say that straight out of a Cinderella story.

"Slippers, from rubies?" questioned Terry.

"Before your time." Bruce said.

"Sounds painful." Gwen said.

From slippers made of jewels to wear on your foot, yes it would hurt to wear.

"I wouldn't wear them if you paid me." Megan added. "I'm going to look up on more of these guys to get my bounty money. Just get to work when you two can."

However, before Terry or Gwen can deal with it, Terry has to go to his Family Studies class, which he's failing and this wil be Gwen's first time doing it.

"It's Family Studies and I'm failing!" Terry hangs up.

With Bruce looking at Ace to ask this strange question to his dog.

"How does someone fail Family Studies?"

The looking at Megan...

"Don't look at me, boys." she said back. "I'm not a nanny."

In class, Miss Pinto assigns her students to take care of computerized Eggbabies. They are programmed to act and respond as real babies do, recording how well their 'parents' are taking care of them and if they're dropped, it's an automatic fail. The project will make up half of their final grade, which the teacher pointedly notes, is crucial for Terry in particular. The class is randomly divided into mock couples. Unfortunately for Terry, he's paired with Gwen.

"We're together, Terry."

"Awesome."

With the two holding hands for other partners to pair – like Max with Nelson 'sadly', Howard and Dana, Jared and Blade, and so on...They must care for it to show emotions on what it feels for Nelson to do pretty good at it, and Blade...Needs to be more careful for her partner to catch it in time for falling; if it falls to the ground then they fail.

"Mr. McGinnis, please do well in this part of the class since...you two can have more time dating as you also do studying. And Ms. Grayson...I hope they'll be great things from you the most."

She'll do her best.

"Yes, Ms. Pinto!"

"(Aw...It's cute. Looks like you and your boyfriend are like an active married couple.)" Gwen's inner self makes a joke. "(Can I be the aunty?)"

Unable to get rid of the Eggbaby, Terry and Gwen takes it with him on his mission.

"Seriously?" Terry didn't like this one bit.

"Terry, it'll be fine. Think of the good grade you can make up for when I'm helping you out. We'll take turns watching it." Gwen transforms. "And my other self can make the Eggbaby laugh. Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Gwen transforms to get to work.

"Trust me, Bats. Having this thing around will teach you more responsibilities. Can we go now." she likes the Eggbaby to make it laugh. "And see? Fire won't boil this one. So sweet...yes you are."

Guess the tough Batwoman can have a soft spot for cute things too like Gwen does.

"(I told you.)"

They soon spy Ma Mayhem and her family looking to steal ruby earrings. Unfortunately, the Eggbaby starts crying and alerts the thieves to his presence.

"Oh, no...What wrong with it?" Batwoman asks herself. "Gweny!"

"What's going on there?" Bruce ask to be hearing something. "Is that a baby?"

It was kind of hard to explain to him...

"Um."

"You brought a baby with you?" he asks them. "What's going on, Gwen?"

"(We can explain!)" she tries to say something. "(Terry, say something.)"

"It's not what you think, really." Terry tries to tell Bruce.

"Terry, is there something you need to tell me?"

Once Terry tells Bruce to turn on a camera to see what it was, it was just a robot type of baby.

"It's a school thing they're doing, they have no choice to act married." Batwoman plays around to care for the Eggbaby. "Bats, go easy on the little guy."

One of the men, Carl is sent to take care of Batman and Batwoman and during the ensuing fight the Eggbaby is almost dropped.

"I got you!"

When Batman tries to save it, he's almost killed but manages to escape from Batwoman's fire power.

"Don't...hurt...the...EGGBABY!" she fights back.

But because of their advance warning, the gang escapes and the Eggbaby was close from getting taken by the garbage man...

"(They got away!)" said Gwen.

"We'll find and stop them soon enough." said Terry/Batman. "Let's go."

The men sees them being weird by jumping around a lot.

"Was that Batman? Dumpster diving?" one asks the other.

"A fella's gotta eat."

Day comes and Terry and Gwen both take care of his Eggbaby along with a few of his classmates.

"Something's wrong." Nelson worries about his Eggbaby. "He's not eating! Why isn't he eating?"

Terry looking over.

"Maybe because you're trying to feed him through his nose."

He fixes it.

"I never think that Nelson would have a soft spot." said Dana.

"It is nice to see some mean jerks become friendly." and Gwen.

"You like what you see, Dana?" Nelson tries to be cool around her.

"Yeah, yeah, not bad..."

That's one way to put it.

"You seem to enjoy this, Gwen." Howard said to her. "It must be fun."

The Eggbaby really likes Gwen and Terry together and Gwen's other self of fire powers to most to make it smile.

"I don't know why, but it really likes to see some fun for the two of us, me the most. (Must be the good nature I have from my powers on cuter things."

While Nelson does well for him, and barely Blade to be dating with a right man for her in high school to have her partner do the rest, both Nelson and Max get the stuff done carefully.

"Here's the bio and civics." Max gives to Nelson.

"Thanks, hon." he said. "How 'bout the math?"

"It's coming, stop nagging."

For Gwen and Terry to see how they take care of their Eggbaby a bit differently but fairly unlike Blade.

"What?" she asks the others.

"You have to learn things like those two are with a fair share." Gwen said. "I hate to see you like this in the future, Blade.

Nice one.

"I get it. You're doing his homework so you don't have to take care of the baby."

Terry was right about that.

"We opted for the traditional marriage: one breadwinner, one homemaker." Max explains.

"Beats algebra." and Nelson.

Blade could learn something from the other six with her partner, as if...That being the case, Terry still has to keep it when he and Gwen go to the Batcave.

"Gwen, could you help the Eggbaby out?" he asks his girlfriend. "I need a break."

"Okay...I have one thing to calm it besides making it fall aside from my Sister singing it a song I learn from once."

"(Signing...?)" confused the other one.

From Josh Groban's song, Lullaby.

Gwen (singing): Hush now baby don't you cry

Rest your wings my butterfly

Peace will come to you in time

And I will sing this lullaby

No though I must leave, my child

But I would stay here by your side

And if you wake before I'm gone

Remember this sweet lullaby

And all love through darkness

Don't you ever stop believing

With love forlorn

With love you'll find your way

My love

The world has turned the day to dark

I leave this night with heavy heart

When I return to dry your eyes

I will send this lullaby

Yes I will send this lullaby

Oooooohhh

How sweet, it does make the Eggbaby to go sleep mode.

"Wow...Gwen..." Terry was amazed. "Your voice."

She felt shy.

"Oh! I just...It helps me a lot...And I thought it might need to sleep from-!

"Hey, you have a wonderful singing voice."

Having a moment for Bruce to interrupt their love to getting back to work.

"Hi, Uncle Bruce, we're here." Gwen said to placing the Eggbaby down gently. "We finally put the little guy to sleep for a while."

"Taking this a lot serious, Gwen." said Bruce.

"A grade team error."

Bruce is annoyed about the Eggbaby.

"Do you have to keep lugging that thing around with you?" he asks Terry.

"I need the grade. Gwen and I are doing our best."

"Even real parents with real children find ways to get away for a night."

I think Terry already tried for him or Gwen couldn't get out of this one.

"I tried leaving it with my mom but she said she was too young to be a grandma."

"What about your brother?" Bruce asked.

"I tried that too, and I caught him shooting rubber bands at it."

But Terry's mother refused to take it because she said she's too young to be a grandma, and Matt abused it by shooting it with rubber bands.

"Then maybe Megan could-!" Gwen tries to say something.

"She's out." Bruce said back.

"Oh...Well, I did asked."

Bruce shuts down any possibility of taking care of the Eggbaby himself.

"Hey, you know maybe you could..." Bruce turns and gives Terry a hard stare. "Never mind."

And only Ace is willing to spend time with it, making it laugh with friendly licks.

"Aw, Ace, did you help Eggbaby to be happy to sleep better for us?" Ace kisses Gwen too. "You're the best."

Terry is forced to take it on another mission with Gwen, but seeing as this was a strong possibility, besides Gwen; Terry had given it a double feeding, changed its diaper and kept it awake the entire afternoon; he figures it will sleep for hours.

"The Eggbaby's out like a light." Batwoman checks. "Aw it's cute when they'res sleeping silently like so."

After reaching the next location, the Museum of Fashion, Batman and Batwoman leave the Eggbaby on an air conditioning unit and attacks the group.

"Too late." Batman shows himself.

"We won't let you guys attack us from behind this time." said Batwoman. "Prepare to get burned."

Unfortunately, they are ready for him and fight back.

"This is getting old, Batman and Batwoman." said Ma Mayhem.

Like Batman would take any crap from this bad mother of the year.

"Look who's talking."

Batman manages to hold up his own against the group and Batwoman to breaking the weapon from Slim, and Batman slowing down Carl, but in the end they manage to escape once again. However, things are even worse for Batman when he sees that the air conditioning unit was really the gang's truck in holographic disguise. They take off in it taking the Eggbaby along.

"The baby...!"

"(The Eggbaby! They're getting away with the Eggbaby!)" Gwen panics.

Desperate not to fail Family Studies, Batman and Batwoman head out to find the Eggbaby but can find no trace.

"Oh no they didn't!" Batwoman wasn't too happy about this either. "Now we have stop the trio bad family, but also save the robot child cutest too, Batsy. Gweny. Get to it!"

The search begins to finding the Eggbaby and stopping the three criminals.

"No sign of him anywhere. I've lost him." aid Terry/Batman.

"(But we will find it...Somehow...)"

Bruce overhears them talking about the Eggbaby.

"Him? That's a doll you are talking about, not a life." he said.

It's Terry's school work on the line for Gwen to help him out, if not to be repeating high school all over again.

"It's my life if it's lost. I'll have to take Family Studies again. Have you ever taken Family Studies?!"

He was very serious.

"Now you two know what it feels like to be a married couple." said Batwoman.

"Not now!" both Bruce and Terry said.

"(You're not helping!)" same with Gwen.

However, Bruce realizes that the Eggbaby can be tracked by its digital cry, which can be scanned for by the Batmobile.

"Poor kid's gonna cry until he shuts down."

Then Bruce thought about something.

"Its cries are computer generated, aren't they?" he asks them.

"Yeah, so?" Terry asked.

Gwen then thought about to try hacking through Bruce to help him out.

"Wait...There is a way to track it down, right?" she asked. "Sonic wave types, right Uncle Bruce?"

"Right Gwen. That would mean the cries would have certain quantifiable digital properties."

The two get on it to sat it up for Terry/Batman to locate both the Eggbaby and the three criminals.

"Then I can set the Batmobile to scan for it, can't I?"

"(Yes, Terry.)" said Gwen.

"Its crazy enough to work...What the heck."

"Uh-huh." Bruce gets it done. "Unless they've already made an omelette out of him."

Bad joke for Bruce to say there.

"Oh, hey!" said Terry/Batman.

Back at her hideout, Ma Mayhem celebrates her victory in getting the entire set of ruby jewelry, which was the first thing she and her husband stole.

"Just for some jewels." Slim asked.

"It's all I have to remember...your father by after he passed on."

Dramatic much...?

"But Ma, dad's not dead. He just ran off with..." Ma hits Carl. "Augh!"

"Don't ever talk that way about your father!" she said. While she deals with her upset children, the Eggbaby starts to cry again. "Here, give it to Mama! it kind of reminds me of when you two were little..." Ma looks at it to see the Eggbaby was still crying. "Get rid of it!"

Batman and Batwoman are alerted to the Eggbaby's location and heads out to the hideout.

"(I know where they are.)" Gwen tracks them down. "(In that building further down.)"

They arrived just in time to watch Carl reluctantly drop the Eggbaby from a high window. Batman saves the Eggbaby, which makes it happy, and is subsequently attacked by the group. Gwen was happy to have the Eggbaby safe and sound.

"Oh, boys..." Batwoman lighten things up 'literally'. "Messing with a robotic baby is a big no, no!"

Ma Mayhem decides to opt for a speedy get away. Slipping the Eggbaby inside Batman's backpack, he and Batwoman quickly gives chase while the Eggbaby enjoys the ride.

"(Listen, Batman, he's laughing.)" Gwen said. "(I think he likes this.)"

"He does. Now Daddy has to go to work with Mommy."

After a brief, yet intense time of being dragged by the family's truck, Batman manages to stop them and forces them to land on a building. Batwoman has some strong body of lava feeling and human strength to pull the truck.

"Incoming truck!" said Batwoman. "They're not getting away like this!"

After setting up a smoke screen and Batwoman's super human strength, Batman manages to get Slim to attack Carl when Batwoman pushes him aside, thereby knocking him out, then knocks out Slim himself.

"Take one out by using the other one to do the work for us." Batman said to the two brothers.

"A bunch of idiots they are." and Batwoman.

All that's left is Ma Mayhem and she proves to be a much stronger opponent as she pummels Batman with her purse.

"You'll both pay for hurting my perfect little boys!"

However, Batman manages to cut the straps on her bag - which contains her loot - causing it to fall off the roof of the building.

"No wonder why your bag was getting heavy, lady. Unlike you." Batwoman owns Ma from saying that. "Oh! You just got served!"

Ma Mayhem desperately jumps after the bag and manages to catch it as Batman catches her with a cable, but the upside down bag opens and drops all of its contents to the street.

"My jewels!" she was sad.

"(Ma Mayhem, are you nuts? You could've got flatten into a pancake!)"

"But I wanted my jewels back...!" Ma was out of it.

And it was enough for Megan turn in Ma and her two sons in the end.

"Nice work, you two. I'll take it from here with the bonus check..." she sees the Eggbaby to be very happy. "Heh, sweet thing but a lot work for you guys to handle."

With their mission completed, Terry and Gwen return to their Family Studies class and is shocked to receive the top grade.

"Terry, you did it." Gwen was happy.

"Well, you and I did it together." Terry said to hold hands with her.

As Miss Pinto explains, the other couples performed adequately at feeding and nurturing their babies, but Terry's was the only one whose mind was fully stimulated—i.e., his baby had the most fun and calm to have attention from Gwen as well. She calls Terry 'ideal father material.' Terry's happy at first, but when Gwen and several other girls look at him happily he becomes a little embarrassed.

"Good work, you two."

Lots of being shy, but enough to pass at long last for Terry.

"To me, Terry, I think you make a great father." said Gwen.

For Terry to like being commented to say this...

"Thanks, Gwen, but until then I rather be with you."

To start things off slow was good enough to do for the days to last a bit longer for them.

"(Anything for love to learn something does help out a lot.)" for Gwen to look at the bag of other Eggbabies. "(Another happy ending to be worth the time to learn and do.)"

Family caring to good or bad in this one today, huh? Yep. And then some...Passing school's important too.


	32. Zeta

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 32 – Zeta

During a lecture in biology class at school, Max, Gwen, and Terry note that the teacher, Miss Martel, is answering questions in a strange way; not with a personal answer and opinion, but instead just reading pre-written information. Even for Max to ask her teacher a question about it...

"But, what about free will? I mean, I'm not going to believe that everything I am was completely decided before I was born."

Good question there. Even for Gwen to understand it a bit, but a lot more for her to feel something was up from the people around her.

"(Huh?)" she looks around carefully to feel out the strange feeling in the room. "(Either I'm feeling a strange person sneaking into the school, or something feels off. One of the people here isn't normal.)"

Later, as they discuss their suspicions, like Gwen does.

"Is being Batman just giving me a suspicious nature?" Terry asks the two girls.

"Yes." Max answer.

"I call it more of instincts to me." and Gwen. "But I know what you mean, something's up to feel something odd lately. Not normal."

"If you're right, Gwen, then something's way off with Ms. Martel."

They are surprised to see men dressed as phone workers pull guns on Miss Martel and open fire. Even more surprising, Miss Martel avoids their attack with an amazing show of strength and agility, and drives off in a car. Gwen knows something was up to see what was wrong with her to rush to her side.

"Terry! Max! I'll go see if Ms. Martel's hiding something!" she goes with some fire power to use for speed.

Leaving Terry to take off as well to let Max know about it.

"I'll call you if Gwen and I see anything off." he leaves.

The car eventually crashes and the pursuers catch up, but Batman arrives and stops them from shooting her.

"Ms. Martel! Are you hurt?! Say something!"

Just then, the teacher punches through the car and draws weapons of her own.

"(That can't be normal...)" said Gwen's inner self. "A robot that remind me a lot like you are, Gweny.)"

One of the men, Agent Bennet, jumps from the truck and explains that 'Miss Martel' is really a synthoid.

"A synthoid? Another one?" surprised Gwen.

During the fight, Miss Martel is hit and loses her disguise. The police go to Miss Martel's apartment and find her tied up for Megan to help cut the ropes loose for the teacher.

"(No break in to murdering someone, so that's a good thing.) She's fine, Barbara!" Megan tells her friend. "I wish to know what this living robot is. Reminds me of Gidget, I sure miss it to have the tools for it now that I've made."

Finding evidence that points to the school, Barbara Gordon and Megan confront Bennet. He explains that the robot is an assassin droid called 'Zeta' and it has stopped taking their orders. Because Zeta was on an assignment to infiltrate a terrorist group, they assume it's now taking orders from them and must destroy it, whatever the civilian cost.

"For your own safety and everyone else's, we just need to do this before it causes more harm." Bennet leaves. "This robot's not wise to hack into and make it into a friend, Ms. Tsuki, trust me."

"Wasn't going to..."

After Bennet leaves, Batman and Batwoman talk to Barbara and she explains that it's most likely that Zeta is still at the High School.

"You two got all of that?" Barbara asks the two crime fighting duos.

"From robot attacks, changes itself, being smarter, and secret agents tracking them...I think we do." Batwoman said.

"Whatever it is...It might be anywhere now and away from our school." Batman said.

But not likely to Barbara...

"it might still be there...See what you two can stop it first or keep it away form Bennet and his men. Whatever it takes. The last thing I need it to start a war in Gotham. Megan, you back them up."

She'll do here best for them...That night, Max is working in the school computer lab, where she carefully hacks into the NSA files about Zeta and discovers that it's equipped with a homing beacon. Dana arrives and invites Max to go to a study group. Max mistakes the gender of a classmate that Dana refers to, but Dana takes this in stride, believing Max is just over-absorbed in her schoolwork, as usual. Later, Max sneaks into the Gotham Mint and is revealed to be Zeta in disguise.

"Now please tell the names of the people at your school again..." the Zeta asks Max.

This was very bad...The next day, Terry finds 'Max' working on a device. As they talk, he quickly realizes that this person doesn't know he is Batman or Gwen as Batwoman, and so is not really Max and Gwen does too from feeling that this wasn't her real friend.

"This Maxie of our's a fake...?"

"(Oh, brother...I smell trouble like the backroom of the hallways bad bathroom)" said Gwen's inner self. "(You two lovers, stay alert.)"

"Gwen, is she safe?" Terry asks her.

She does feel out that Max was safe and sound.

"She's fine. And whoever this Maxie is right now, it must be the robot we're looking for..."

From Gwen's hacking skills to track her friend with, they were all set to go. When 'Max' leaves, both Terry, Gwen, and the NSA agents follow her/it. Dropping his disguise, Zeta returns to the Mint, where Max is being held captive. Zeta gives her a sandwich, and tells her he's concerned for her safety. Contrary to what they might think, Zeta assures her, he may have been built to kill, but he doesn't want to anymore.

"Zeta: I was created for one purpose — to destroy. I do not wish to destroy anymore." said Zeta.

Max believes him and convinces him to remove all of his built-in weapons.

"Now, isn't that a load off your chest?" Zeta doesn't response back to Max. "We'll work on your sense of humor too."

However, Batman and Batwoman show up and attack Zeta...Well, Batwoman almost did for Gwen to say something.

"(Stop!)"

He fire skills does slow this female heroine down just in the nick of time.

"Why gives, Gwen?" she was lost.

"(Look, Maxie's okay. It didn't attack us when we came it, we surprised it...)" Gwen had a point. "(Wait, Batman! Maxie's fine! Zeta's on our side to sense some good and I detect no destructed on humans from hacking a little from the programming!)"

Zeta is quick to retaliate and a fight ensues.

"Wait! Stop! Both of you! Batwoman's right!" Max tries to quell the fight, but is unsuccessful.

On the one hand, Batman doesn't believe that Zeta's peaceful, while Zeta is inexperienced at resolving situations peacefully. However, after Batman is disabled and nearly crushed by the Mint's printing press, Zeta saves him and proves his intentions.

"(Batman!)"

To Gwen and Batwoman's surprised for Zeta saved Batman's life.

"Hey, robot man...You're not so bad after all. Nice one." she said.

"His name is Zeta." Max corrects Batwoman.

"Whatever!"

Unfortunately, the NSA soon arrives and attacks.

"Freeze!" said Bennet. "All of you!"

Zeta quickly arms himself with a laser cutter and fights back.

"Zeta!" Max was worried.

Only through Batwoman and Batman's interventions do they escape without bloodshed.

"(This Zeta thing...I knew it wasn't a bad one, it's the agents.)" Gwen thought about it. "(Batman, let's hear this machine out. Please...?)"

After the ordeal Zeta explains why he decided to quit killing: when he was on assignment, he had to replace an accountant that was unwittingly associating with terrorists. During this time, he had to live with the accountant's family and saw his daughter ride a bike for the first time. Believing that he couldn't deprive the man of his family, he disobeyed his orders to kill the man.

"For you see...I never wanted to kill like the other ones...I wanted to save lives, and fight threaten things when I have to." he said. "Batwoman, you're right to understand how I am and work."

"It's my other self more that tells me that really."

His story done, Zeta explains he chose the high school as a low-security facility that nonetheless had the equipment necessary for him to build a signal filter, which would allow him to mask his homing beacon from the agents. Now that he's done that, he can adopt a new identity and strike out on his own.

"(In other words, the agents are lying to you...I knew it!)" angered Gwen.

Batman is still wary, since Zeta admits that he is programmed to remove any person whose identity he assumes, and doesn't know any other way.

"So why a school?" Batman asks Zeta.

"More data to collect is all I needed to have less security inside the place."

Max, however, comes up with a new idea: mix up the images to create a new one.

"But still...We can't go out there with tin man showing itself, do that...disguise human thing ago." said Batwoman. "That is, if you still have more in you, mister."

Zeta tries it and comes up with a passable face, then leaves.

"How's this?"

"Looking good!" said Batwoman.

"I should go now." said Zeta.

Gwen hopes for the best from Zeta for Max hugs him.

"Good luck, Zeta." she said to her new robot friend.

Batman and Batwoman both follow after Zeta, not wanting to let him out of their sights until he leaves Gotham.

"Come on, Gwen, we better keep our eyes on Zeta until he leaves Gotham."

"(If you say so...Maxie, you stay put.)" she said for Gwen and Terry take off.

In spite of the fact that the NSA can no longer track his signal, they manage to determine Zeta's motive and stake out the train station. For a while, it seems they won't find him but an accident reveals him.

"Freeze, Tin Man!" said one of the agents.

Zeta makes his escape into the station and is confronted by the agents. However, Batman and Batwoman intercept the agents leaving Zeta and Bennet to face one another alone.

"Don't even think about it, people! This robot's going to wherever he wants to!" said Batwoman to set the grounds on fire. "Try to do anything, then prepare to get burned."

Zeta manages to disable Bennett and takes his gun.

"(Oh, no...)" Gwen lowers her fire powers. "(Please, Zeta...Batman! Do something!)"

Batwoman and Batman are worried that Zeta will kill his enemy, but Zeta destroys the gun and walks away.

"I decide who I want to be." said Zeta.

This makes the two crime-fighting duo happy.

"That's good..." Batman was relief.

Bennet, however, isn't convinced and draws another gun. With this gun, he and his agents force Zeta to fall from the building to his apparent destruction.

"(Zeta!)"

For Gwen/Batwoman to worry on Zeta's conditions, she and Batman go down to investigate and discovers that Zeta's destruction was just an illusion.

"Wait, Gweny. Check it!" Batwoman moves her hand on the fake on the pass through her. "It's a fake. The real one's still active and alive, see? Gave the men and women in suits the slip."

Zeta then takes on another appearance and escapes.

"(I'm so happy...But where will you go to now?)" asked Gwen.

"Somewhere they'll never find me. Thank you both."

Batman takes his leave as well, throwing some explosives to the ground causing the agents to believe that Zeta self-destructed and thereby buying the two the time they needed to escape.

"I guess some things can be good like us, even robots." said Batman to hold Gwen's hand. "Come on, Gwen, let's get out of here."

"(Yes! And goodbye, Zeta.)"

Zeta leaves on the train and Batwoman with Batman fly off to Gotham, convinced that all is well.

"And I hope we seen the last of those guys...Let's go, love birds. Good make out somewhere else." said Batwoman.

Something tells me that we'll be seeing Zeta, Bennet, and the others again in this show later on. Cool robot super hero, huh?


	33. Plague

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 33 – Plague

For something weird to be seeing...within the darkness were snakes, mess up people, creating something for power, and such for one to witness it all to see more than one Gwen Grayson to be going down the drain to be die. So painful to make Gwen scream to almost set the bed room on fire to wake up in fear, and seeing a snake.

"(Hey!)" Gwen other half helps her out. "(Wake up, stupid!)"

This allow Bruce and Ace to hear her.

"Gwen! What's wrong?!"

"Snake!" she points out. "Uncle Bruce! Get rid of the snake! I hate them.

How did a snake get into the Wayne Manor? As well as Gwen was scared of snakes, Ace chases it out of the place to still feel weird on how it go in or why Gwen's powers lost it to set the bed on fire with the bracelet still on her. Bruce putting it out, this wasn't the first time Gwen had these nightmares.

"This is the seventh time this week, Gwen, your dreams are not normal." he said.

"I know...But what am I suppose to do about it..." Gwen hated it all. "What are these nightmares telling me...? Snake people and the other clones of me being killed."

For hearing the word 'people snakes', Bruce might know who it might be.

"I'll have to get Megan to work on this tomorrow. We'll find something out, I promise."

For Bruce to comfort Gwen and Ace too, she cries to fear what the dream might be real or not.

"Okay... (I hope whatever's going on, it'll be solved somehow.)" she said to herself.

The next day...Gwen 'tries to be strong to tell both Terry and Megan on what happened', as those two, Dana, and Chelsea wait for Nelson's return from Saint Denis at the Gotham Airport.

"He must of have fun like we did." said Chelsea. "Nelson changed...a little."

"Yeah, just about." and Dana to see that Gwen wasn't feeling well lately. "Gwen, are you feeling well? Besides from your powers not too hot?"

She hangs in there for her friends.

"I'm fine, Dana, thank you. I just had one of the nights to seeing snakes. I don't like them."

Terry stays close to his girl.

"Never liked snakes to almost got bitten badly." he said. "It'll be okay."

"I'm scared of snakes, Terry, I don't hate them to have all of them killed. I love animals still..." said Gwen. "Just the snake people I image to do something to me...It felt so real to keep having my bed room on fire. I don't know why."

That is weird. Nelson goes to customs, and the agent finds a vial of an unidentified green fluid. Nelson claims he not to know anything about it and suggests that it was snuck into the bag while he was in the bathroom. The customs agent appears to believe him and lets him go while confiscating the vial. After Nelson leaves, the agent turns the vial over to a Kobra agent and reveals that he's capable of changing his face as if it were made of clay. Ew...Nelson catches up with the group.

"Miss me, ladies? Hiya, Gwen." he said. "What about you, Dana?"

Some how 'at some point', those two are slowly getting along well.

"Yeah, yeah, welcome back."

Player...For Gwen to stay close to Terry to still calm all day.

"Looks like Nelson doesn't love you anymore." he said.

"For him and Dana to be getting...a bit closer for them is a start. A little." Gwen sees them. "But yeah, nothing that Dana can't talk some sense in to. Besides us in our relationship is going well."

And then Nelson heads out but Stalker intercepts him before he can reach his car.

"Who's nature boy." ask Nelson.

Scaring Dana and Chelsea, for both Terry and Gwen knew it was right away.

"Stalker!" the two couple said.

Stalker snatches Nelson and carries him to the top of the building. Threatening to kill Nelson, Stalker demands to know where the glass container ended up. After getting what he wants, Stalker unceremoniously releases Nelson and searches the airport.

"Nelson?" Chelsea checks on him.

"I might need some clean shorts..."

Terry and Gwen go to what needs to be done.

"Stay put you guys while we get help, and for me to all for backup to the others..." Gwen moves away to transform somewhere private. "Get ready to go as Batman, Terry. Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Both Batwoman and Batman soon arrived and attack Stalker as a team, who claims doesn't want to fight.

"Don't move, weirdo!" said Batwoman. "I recall you trying to kill me the last time...So now we're going to stop you from whatever it is you're trying to do next."

"Stop!" Stalkers tell them that he doesn't want to fight.

Like they'll believe in them.

"Why?" question Batman. "So you can attack more bystanders?! You try to kill my partner!"

Batman doesn't believe him but Agent Bennett arrives and says that Stalker is telling the truth. Oh, god...How can we forget about this guy?

"(Him again? Last time we saw him is when he tried to capture Zeta.)"

He explains Stalker is working for the NSA to track down Falseface, a mercenary working for Kobra. He explains that Kobra intends to release a lethal super-virus onto the city unless paid a ransom of ten billion credits.

"They're a type of terrorists that must be stopped." he said to Batman and Batwoman.

The name of the group Kobra catches Gwen's attention.

"Gweny...?"

"(That name Kobra...I know that from somewhere in a dream, but why...?)" Gwen had trouble thinking. "(Batman, they might be telling the truth. I sense something bad from them to have to do with the past form Powers' doing.)"

Kobra means business to be powerful and dangerous to mess with them. The virus had been tested on a small island community and eradicated all life on the island.

"You're kidding!" shock Batman.

"I wish we were." Bennett was serious.

With no other way to track Falseface, they turned to Stalker for help 'since he got arrested afterwards from the train accident to still be in one piece'. As for Kobra, Megan tells the rest about it since her husband told her to look it up for him and Gwen's sake to tell Terry about it as well.

Megan: Kobra...Little is known about the origins of Kobra, but they had long admired the power of the dinosaurs. They envisioned them as the only life form capable of ruling the world once again. So, for years Kobra sought a way to splice human genes with dinosaurs' DNA. Until they could achieve their main goal, Kobra used cutting edge technology for robberies, extortion and terrorism, which led them to clash with Batman on a few occasions. Kobra was ruthless and unforgiving. Every member of Kobra was expected complete allegiance and devotion to the organization, and any protocol breach was punished with a gruesome death in a pit of vipers. Among their interrogation techniques, Kobra used a sensor that turned one's thoughts into pictures. This way they could weed out traitors among their ranks. There were several Kobra branches around the world, and each cell seemed to have its own leader. The hierarchy of Kobra was depicted by color and garments. The ones on the bottom were foot soldiers, identified by their green spandex uniforms. They responded to members who donned an orange variation of the same spandex uniform, with golden bracelets on their forearms and forelegs, and a green exorcism or hooded cloak. There were also scientists, technicians, or assistants who wore these garments. However, Main Operators usually had a small amount of facial hair. Within the infantry there were assassins that ranked above the rest. They were trained in specific fighting techniques, or armed with special weaponry, such as electrical flail or edge weapons. Altogether, these combatants were more dangerous and deadlier than the average foot soldier. You guys...I think that this has a lot to do with Gwen. And with it, she reminds me of myself when I had trouble knowing about myself.

She was right, for Gwen says this out of nowhere...

"(Then let's help Stalker on this one.)" she said. "(Terry. Megan. Uncle Bruce. As much as we hate what he did to me before, stopping Kobra is more important because I can learn more about myself to see why they made me to killing off my other clones. Please! And others will die if we can't get the virus away from the bad people, Bennett can be hard to stop to at least think of others' safeties first.)"

Guess they have no other choice, for it to be all true. Reluctantly, Batman and Batwoman join up with Stalker with Bruce assuring him that it's necessary.

"Gwen's right, others will die if you don't do this."

"I'm worried about Gwen to act like this and had Stalkers almost killed my girl." Terry/Batman tells Bruce that. "Any leads?"

"Try out the Muscle City Sweat shop." he said.

Going through his leads, Bruce suggests the trio checks the Muscle City Sweat Shop where they discover Kobra agents preparing for the virus' release.

"I never seen Gweny like this before so for her to lead and for me to use the powers is sometimes rare." said Batwoman.

"It's our only shot and to help Gwen." Batman lets Stalker go in first. "After you."

"You don't trust me? Your girlfriend does as if I know who she already is like you are."

Now's not the a good time to be fighting right now.

"You were out to kill me and her, remember?"

"(We just don't want to die from a virus is all.)" said Gwen.

"She's right." said Stalker to move in first. "Besides, there are worse things than an honorable death."

The crime fighting duo follow Stalker next.

"Bet you it's a short list." Batman added.

Batman insists that they quietly observe the agents and plan their next move, but Stalker impatiently attacks the group.

"Even I would never go so low to make a dumb move." Batwoman said. "This guy's a villain, but he does have some honor...Some..."

Batman scolds him for his recklessness and points out they can no longer interrogate the agents for information.

"Thanks a lot!"

Now Batman tells him...

"Maybe I was a bit reckless." said Stalker.

"You think?" Batman questions him.

Just then...

"(You guys, I got something.)" Gwen picks up a clue. "(This disk might have something we need.)"

Fortunately, they find a disk with a floor plan for Gotham Manufacturers Plastics.

"I hope you're getting this down, Gweny."

For Batwoman to say to her other half, it was taken care of from her hacking skills.

"I got it." she said.

For Stalker to say this to Terry/Batman.

"Two half's of one body of a girl...How odd she can still be herself to control fire." he said.

"That's why I love her, she's smoking hot. Pun aside." Batman said back.

Out at the company, a security guard walks into the security room and disables the guard. Falseface then disables the security system and lets Kobra in. Inside, Falseface marvels at the unmarked creds and learns that Kobra intends to coat them with the virus. Every time that the creds are passed from hand to hand, the virus will be transmitted.

"With it, we can transmit the disease very easily..."

"Wanna bet?" Batman appears.

With Batman, Batwoman, and Stalker arrive and fight the agents. And for Batwoman to brighten things up with her fire to put an end to her nightmare.

"Okay, boys! You and me let's go...Because I won't let you get to us at all – for Batwoman's in the house!" she said. "Burn, baby, burn. Ha! I always wanted to say that."

Somehow, one of the Kobra members remembers Gwen's powers to know she's Batwoman, of the last clones they haven't got rid of or capture for power.

"The fire girl...There's one left remaining..."

"Fire girl?" the rest were shocked.

During the fight, however, the vial is nearly smashed open and Stalker is deterred from capturing Falseface in concern for Batman failing to save it. Fortunately, he manages to hit Falseface with one of his tracking grenades and Batman manages to prevent the virus from being unleashed.

"I got it..." said Batman to hear a Kobra member laughing. "Ah, hello? We just kicked your scaly butts! Why are you laughing?"

However, Kobra One explains that they infected Falseface with the virus as a backup and since he's left the building he can easily evade capture and will infect others.

"We must go after Falseface next, this far from over." Stalkers tells them.

Luckily, Gwen can feel him out to also tracking the man down.

"(I know where he's going!)"

Stalker, Batwoman, and Batman go after him and find Falseface right away.

"So they know who we are, Gweny, big deal! We'll stop more of them later. But you do remember now, right? So that's go so far! Let just go!" she tells her other self. "There's always tomorrow to save the day and many lives first!"

Hold up on stopping more Kobra members later to not stop Gwen from stopping the backup virus.

"Stop! You have the sickness." he said.

Like Falseface believes he does to not remember when it happened to him.

"Yeah, right!" Unfortunately, Falseface fails to believe Stalker that he's infected and disables him with a taser.

"(Stalkers!)" Gwen was shock.

"Go, you two...he must not escape..." he said before passing out.

Batman and Batwoman continue on after Falseface but temporarily loses sight of him.

"(Stop this, Falseface! We're telling you the truth!)" Gwen tries to tell the villain. "(Kobra are not to be trusted, they put the virus into you to spread real soon! Listne to us!)"

Fortunately, Falseface tries to imitate Nelson, a disguise that Batman can easily see through. And his real face, ew...! So gross!

"Nice one!" said Batwoman.

"How did you know?"

"Not enough pimples." Batman said since he knows what his rival/pal looks like.

A fight ensues and takes the combatants into a factory. Falseface starts a fire, then attacks Batman with a length of pipe and the same with Batwoman to fight back with her own fire.

"(This place is going up into flames, Batman, and I can only shield you at this rate!)" Gwen tells her partner.

Batman can hold up his own but there is an explosion and he is trapped under a falling ventilation duct after pushing Gwen/Batwoman out of the way.

"Look out!"

This looks bad!

"(Batman!)"

She tries to use her strength to save him.

"Don't be stupid...!" she said. "Dude, you're going to kill people! Stop this!"

Here he comes for Batwoman tries to defend Batman.

"You think my face looks bad? Wait till I'm done with yours."

Falseface prepares to kill him but suddenly falls over in pain for Gwen knows what it means.

"(The virus has spread!)" she said. "(He's not going to make it.)"

Batman explains that the virus has taken hold.

"Impossible." he said. "After all I've done, Kobra wouldn't...they couldn't..."

Kobra uses people is all to get the job done and nothing else.

"What did you expect from a pack of vipers?" Batman questions Falseface.

Despaired, Falseface runs away. Unable to free himself, Batman believes himself to be doomed for Batwoman couldn't save him a lone, but Stalker arrives.

"Stalker?" surprised Batwoman. "Well, don't just stand there...help us out!"

Much to Batman's surprise, Stalker refrains from killing him and instead releases him.

"Hurry!"

"(Oh, thank you, Stalker.)" Gwen was happy. "(I think this makes us sort of even now.)"

The three escape to find that Falseface has collapsed. Yep, he's dead for Gwen and Megan to arrived to confirm it.

"Dead." she said. "I'll get back up to place the sick body to be somewhere safe to study the virus if something happens next time. And Gwen, we'll get Kobra...I'm glad you've shown to save the world and learn more about yourself."

"You said it!" said Batwoman.

"(It was nothing really...)"

A right choice to make until they stop Kobra next time...For Gwen had no problem waiting what so ever to work something out little at a time. Once Megan left with the corpse, Batman asks Stalker why he saved him, and he explains that it was just so that he and only he would be the one to kill him when the time is right.

"You risk your neck to save me."

He does have his reasons with Batman.

"It was not your time, nor hers." said Stalker. "When you die, it will be by my hand, and my hand alone."

Better than being killed by a deadly virus is...okay...?

"Thanks." said Batman. "I...guess."

I guess Bennett's job was done with Stalker to move out to be seen...I don't know when, but both Batman and Batwoman will be ready for him if they do, and more with Kobra as well since Megan got a lot of information about them to tell Bruce about it; with Gwen and Terry to have some alone time at his place of the bed room to save a lot of lives today for her to stop what made her into a living weapon of a half human and clone.

"Terry, will I ever be free from this nightmare?"

"I think you will be, Gwen." he said to hugging Gwen. "Bruce, Megan, Ace, Max, and me...We're all with you on this one. And your other half."

Of course who can forget about Gwen's other self.

"I sure hope so...I still want to be myself and not a monster, they know who I am under the mask."

For her to cry, Terry won't allow it.

"Hey, it's okay, Gwen, I'm here for you. I'll always will and love you forever." he said.

"Terry...Thank you." said the happy Gwen.

The two kissed to be making out together from to enjoy it very much so for Gwen was human enough to still be loved.

"(For life as it is...Kobra nor Powers from Derek's son won't stop us, we are free. To do whatever and whenever to help out others and those to help us out. I won't let Gweny to ruined her chance in life to still have friends, a step-mother with a husband, a step-father to one day see, a person to care for her, and someone to love...We want to learn more to keeping these things and we will.)"

Elsewhere at another Kobra hideout, one of them reports about the creation of theirs of Gwen to be their main target to have capture real soon.

"She's alive. This will soon be the time Kobra may strike back again with her powers to use, fire power."

That doesn't sound good at all...


	34. April Moon

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 34 – April Moon

A car lands near Gotham Jewelry Planet and four teenagers climb out. One of them is nervous but their leader insists that they have nothing to worry about. The leader promptly renames himself 'Bullwhip' and proceeds to crack a steel whip that emerges from his wrist. He calls to another member of his gang who reveals he has a retractable suit of armor granting him the capability to smash through a steel door. A third member of the gang has chain saws extend from his knees and wrists and uses them to cut through a safe. Batman and Batwoman arrived during the robbery and starts to take on the gang.

"(I told you I felt something not right about these boys, Batman. Look, their bodies are replace with metal parts of some kind.)"

"Looks like it, Gwen. You're right as always." said Batman.

With Gwen to be right, and her other half Batwoman to be ready to fight with them.

"Hiya, boys...What do you all say we dance?" she play around. "I warn you, I am on fire today."

At first they have the upper hand and even manages to greatly disable the saw wielding member by smashing one of his knee saws. For Batman gives them a beat down, and Batwoman uses fire-like smoke to slow down and fights them, done within seconds.

"(Look out! The other one has metal parts too!)" Gwen warns her partner.

However, the one member left behind to stand guard attacks Batman with piston-covered fists. For Batman tries to melt it off, but it was too powerful.

"Son of a gun...A metal that can't be melted...We got a problem here, Bats!"

The rest of the gang get back up and manage to beat their enemy. However, Batman discovers a servomotor left behind from the injured gang member and takes it with him and Gwen/Batwoman.

"The great thing about stopping bad guys, is to have something to track them down that they left behind them." he said. "Gwen, you care to do the rest?"

Gwen gets to hacking to scan the item.

"(I'll see what I can do.)"

Elsewhere, an old man sits up late at night and is surprised to find the gang came to him. He mentions that their being around him wasn't part of the bargain but Bullwhip insists that the bargain is anything he wants it to be. The doctor tends to the injured teenager but scolds him on leaving the servomotor behind. Meanwhile, Terry and Gwen take the servomotor to Bruce and comments on how it looks like one of the servomotors in his and is girlfriend's costumes.

"It does look like it...' Megan does the same to look this machine up too. "If Gwen's doing the same as I am, we should find something."

Bruce agrees and explains that he bought them from a doctor who had been revolutionary in making artificial prosthetics, Dr. Corso.

"He use to do the works for me about a year ago." he tells them.

"So what happen to him, Uncle Bruce?" Gwen asks her step-uncle.

After taking a look at the servomotor Bruce's suspicions are confirmed for Gwen and Megan to know and for Terry believes that...

"I guess the good doctor isn't so good any more."

Bruce mentions that there's something strange about the circuitry and sends Terry after Corso.

"Megan, let's you and study this some more. Something's not right." he said to his wife.

So she was in.

"I'm all yours for tonight, Bruce. Terry and Gwen will find out what this bad doctor and those four Lost Boys are up to." she said.

They're on the case! Corso finishes up his work and is offered jewels by Bullwhip, but refuses them as that's not what he wants. Bullwhip tells him to be patient and he'll get what he wants when he's sure they don't need the doctor anymore. Shortly after the gang leaves, Batman and Batwoman arrive and confronts Corso, who refuses to explain his actions and in a surprise attack, injects Batman with a powerful sedative.

"Hey!"

With Batwoman tries to attack, to get weaken from a strong foam to go down.

"(Batman...)" Gwen passes out with her boyfriend.

"Sorry, but I have no other choice." said the doctor. "None of you won't get it."

Batman and Batwoman wakes up in the morning to discover that the doctor and all his equipment are missing.

"Oh, perfect...!" said Terry/Batman.

Gwen tries to track the doctor down, but she couldn't.

"(I think we're going to be needing some help, Terry.)"

"Ah, you think so, Gweny?" Batwoman questions her.

Angered over their failures, Terry and Gwen go to Max and complains about their mistakes.

"This what an idiot looks like, Max."

"He just tricked us, Maxie, and we just need a little help please." Gwen explains it better to her friend.

Max, however, points out that Dr. Corso could've easily killed Batman or Batwoman but he didn't.

"Sure, he could've stopped you both...but he didn't. Doesn't that tell you two anything?" she asks them.

This is evidence that he may not be as bad as Terry first believed.

"Maybe...he's not such a bad guy after all."

"Then let's find out." Max tries to check on something.

Looking to test this theory and lure the doctor into a trap, Max makes a phone call for Gwen uses a device to listen in.

"I don't know what you got in mind, Maxie, but I'm liking this already." she said to help out. "This has got to work."

Elsewhere, Corso angrily complains that he can no longer go back to his own home but Bullwhip is unsympathetic. Corso gets a call and at first insists that he's taking a leave of absence, but after hearing about an emergency involving 'both legs', he comes out of his 'leave' and heads out to make a house-call, leaving Bullwhip suspicious. Corso makes his way to the address to see to his patient but finds to his dismay that he's been tricked.

"What is this...?"

"Ah, hello?" Batwoman appears. "Anybody home...? It's a trap here but with a good reason."

Batman confronts him, but the doctor starts to cry, saying 'They're going to kill her'.

"They're going to kill her now..." said the sad doctor. "They're going to kill her..."

"(Is he crying...?)" Gwen picks up on it. "(Batman, he's not a bad guy, he's sad...)"

"Who?" Batman asks Corso what'a going on.

Corso explains that he is unwillingly working with the gang because they kidnapped his wife. He tells Batman and Batwoman that he spent twenty years of his life in which all he had was his work and helping other people. That changed when he met his new nurse, April. He was charmed by her appearance and her cheery outlook on life.

"Flaky flakes?" he sees his breakfast. "They're for children aren't they?"

She just smiled to help Corso give him a chance.

"I have a feeling you've never tried them, even when you were a child yourself." she said back.

"It's that obvious, huh?"

Within a couple of weeks, he decided to propose marriage and she readily agreed. However, all that changed when he met Harold (Bullwhip). Harold had been a patient and suggested that Corso could create weaponized prosthetics, thereby making people into powerful cyborgs and unstoppable thieves. Offhandedly, Harold suggested a partnership, which would be monetarily profitable. However, Corso wasn't interested as he already had everything he wanted. Not willing to take 'no' for an answer, Harold kidnapped April and summoned his gang of thugs. Harold blackmailed Corso into enhancing them with bionic weapons. Feeling he had no choice, Corso agreed in return for the promise of April's safety and eventual return to him. Sad, huh?

"April..." Batman said to look at the picture. "And there's a moon in the background."

"Lucky guy..." Batwoman made a little joke.

Is that was she goes by the name April Moon because of it?

"(You really do love her huh?)" said Gwen to feel bad for Corso. "(In fact, something seems off about this whole thing...I don't know why yet. Anyways, the background of April with the moon here, what does it mean?)"

Examining a photograph of April under a full moon, Batman muses about the song 'April Moon.'

"Is like from the old song called 'April Moon'."

With Batman guessing it, the doctor confirms that 'April Moon' was the couple's song.

"It was our love song." he tells them.

Batman understands Corso's motives, but is still angry about what he has done.

"Still, you should've made those boys into monsters."

Corso, however, explains that he built fail-safe devices into the gang's servomotors. Corso intends to activate the devices once he gets April back and thereby destroy the gang.

"So that's why I had trouble melting them...I guess getting your backup plan will have to do." said Batwoman.

All the same, Corso refuses to tell Batman or Batwoman how to activate the fail-safes, fearing the two crime fighting duos would risk April's life with a rescue attempt.

"It's too dangerous to put April's life in danger..."

Before Batman can further interrogate Corso or from Batwoman to Gwen's words could help out, the gang arrives.

"How did they find us?!" confused Batwoman.

Corso immediately tells the gang that Batman and Batwoman had kidnapped him, and so the gang attacks the two.

"We'll take it from here." Bullwhip. "Boys, let's teach these two a lesson."

Working together, the gang overpowers Batman and Batwoman who couldn't stop them with her fire powers or her skills, who them both narrowly escaped the encounter by using a smoke bomb.

"(Batman, let's get out of here!)"

Having no choice, they get out to come back for Corso to save April somehow.

The gang departs for their hideout, with Batman and Batwoman in pursuit.

"Try to keep up, Gwen! We're going after them!" he said.

"You lead, and we'll follow, Bats!"

Bruce tells Terry and Gwen 'who hack in to give Megan the information' that they found out about the cut-off circuits and that they're voice-activated.

"No need to thank me..." Megan tells them. "But there's a slight problem..."

Unfortunately, Bruce doesn't know the password.

"Neither Megan and I can't find it. Sorry..."

However, Bruce does suggest that the 'fail-safe' is an uncommon word or phrase and that is likely significant to the doctor.

"(So we're going to have to play guessing games to figure it out.)" Gwen thought of an idea.

"That's the best you can do, Bruce?"

It was all up to Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman to do the rest.

"I'm only human." he said back.

Gwen gets it, and Terry still needs to get use to it.

"I keep forgetting." said the young Dark Knight.

Both Batwoman and Batman reach the gang and prepares to confront them in their hideout, but discovers that Corso followed him as he suspected the two of their strategies.

"(Dr. Corso.)"

"I figured you two will be here, that's why I followed you both from the hotel." said Corso. "You two would never run away, it was a trick to follow them to find April."

"It's working so far, doesn't it?" Batman tells the doctor.

The doctor still won't tell Batman nor Batwoman the secret word.

"Well, you better tell us now, look." Batwoman points out. "Your woman was only using you in the first place. That's gotta burn."

Immediately after, however, they're both surprised to see that April is with the gang, but she's not a hostage, she's there willingly. Worse still, he sees April kiss Bullwhip after receiving a jewel from him. April coldly laughs that the doctor could never afford to give her such luxuries.

"(I don't believe it...She was using him!)" this made Gwen get both mad and sad.

Corso cries out while Batman tries to prevent his outburst from alerting the gang. As they struggle, Batman is unable to stop the heartbroken doctor from knocking over some garbage cans.

"Seriously?!"

The gang hears the commotion and ventures outside to investigate. Batman pushes the doctor down a cellar to hide him.

"Let's go!" Batman said to his partner.

The gang spots Batman and Batwoman and attacks them. Once again, the gang has an advantage in spite of a few setbacks and after they stun him, Kneejerk prepares to decapitate him and Batwoman to be crushed from the stronger one of the members. However, Batman and Batwoman think back to the picture he was shown of April in front of the moon.

"(The picture...)" Gwen tells her boyfriend. "(April in the picture on the boat with the full moon out! The song and the picture has to be it!)"

"That's it!" Batwoman knows of it too.

Realizing the password, Batman whispers out 'April Moon'.

"April Moon..."

The fail-safe switches activate and Kneejerk's servomotors completely self-destruct, which Batman repeats with Knux and Terrapin in turn. Three of the gang members are rendered helpless and defeated but Bullwhip sees what's going on and retreats into the shadows before Batman can focus on him.

"I guesses it worked...?" Batwoman asks them.

Later, Terry and Gwen tell Megan and Bruce about the incident and explains that Bullwhip, April, and Corso have all disappeared.

"Ah, they won't be getting anywhere that's too far away to finding the." said Megan. "The other two will be found somehow."

Bruce assures Terry that they'll be back.

"They will be back." However, when Bruce learns that Bullwhip doesn't know Corso was present and saw April kissing him, to Terry's surprise he theorizes that Bullwhip actually may not be coming back after all... "Or better yet, they won't be coming back after all."

"What makes you say that?" Terry asks Bruce.

In Corso's new clinic, Bullwhip is on the operating table, assuring Corso that he'll have his wife back after he performs one last 'upgrade' to make Bullwhip stronger than ever. On the surface, Corso appears to accept this bargain. Bullwhip instructs Corso not to 'hold back' when working on him.

"Don't just repair me. Make me stronger, less vulnerable too." Bullwhip tells the doctor. "And don't hold back understand?"

You should've not say that in words, dude...

"I understand." he puts Bullwhip to sleep. "No holding back."

Corso dons his surgical gear and puts Bullwhip under anesthesia. The last thing Bullwhip sees before losing consciousness is a drill bit moving closer to his face as the doctor ominously says, 'I understand. No holding back...'. And from there, well a lot to be explained for Gwen to tell the rest of the story to end this one off with a lot that has happened.

Gwen: Hours later, Corso was arrested for murdering Bullwhip to die in his sleep to get a drill in his face to look not so pretty, but enough to learn about the stealing to arrest the rest of the gain and April as well for their marriage was over with. That's what Megan discovered for Terry, Uncle Bruce, and I to not see that part at all; it was enough evidences to stop the machine makings to never happen to anyone else ever again. Though you do feel bad for Corso...Revenge can still be cold and mess up on the most parts, to know you should always be careful for who you fall in love with for he was blind to not see the truth, and some women who likes men to give them everything is no better than the four boys to once have machines on them to do any good, not any of it at all.

Hours later afterwards, Terry and Gwen spend some time together to dance from the song to be playing, April Moon itself.

"Care to dance with me, Gwen?" Terry holds her hand.

"Of course, Terry."

A nice way to dance throughout the night of real love for them...

Sam Brown – April Moon Lyrics:

She was polishing the chairs

When the doorbell rang

She smoothed down her hair

And answered to a little old man

He gave her his widest grin and said

Would you mind if I came in and talked to you?

One April afternoon

Two shadows walking in the sun

Their final tune

Two shadows waiting for the April moon

She showed him the kitchen

And he pulled up a chair

As he was about to begin

He noticed her hair

He thought to himself

How beautiful she looked

And said

Would you mind if I took a picture of you?

April afternoon

Two shadows walking in the sun

Their final tune

Two shadows waiting for the April moon


	35. Sentries of the Last Cosmos

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 35 - Sentries of the Last Cosmos

Out on a distant planet, a small group of soldiers riding on flying disks carrying energy swords rush to evade pursuing space ships. One is forced to crash but the other proves to be piloted by a much more skilled flyer. One of the warriors is almost done in but another warrior flies in and destroys the ship at a great risk to himself. With the second ship down, the warriors remove their helmets revealing themselves to be Max, Gwen, Terry, and Corey Cavalieri playing a VR Game: Sentries of the Last Cosmos.

"Wow! This game's fun!" Gwen enjoyed it. "You were right, Terry."

"I told you it was fun."

A nice date and Terry helping Gwen to try out new things from time to time.

Corey is the last to remove his helmet and is proud to discover he's earned the all-time high score.

"And once again, Corey has the highest scores out of all of us." Max said. "How do you do it?"

"Just got to go with the flow I guess..." Unfortunately for him, he finds that reality isn't quite so kind to him. "Watch it!"

Bumping into Nelson is one.

"Or what, hit me with your made up flaming sword? Get a life."

Though it may be true, it's dumb in reality to be hard.

"Don't worry, Corey, you're still good in the game." Gwen tries to cheer Corey up.

"But what of it and I'm nothing in the real world...?" he asks himself. "Sorry, it just hard."

Unbeknownst to him, however, a real sentry is watching him for Gwen's inner self to sense out like her to keep in mind.

"(Reality or fantasy, most things to look out for danger is still very real. Gweny, keep your eyes open on this place. We're not alone.)"

Back at school, Corey muses over creating new scenarios for the game and brushes off Max's thought that he's too obsessed with Sentries of the Last Cosmos. Just then, he receives an e-mail from Simon Harper, the creator of the game, inviting him to Harper's private estate, Sentrycroft. Corey is overjoyed by this news and readily accepts the invitation. This gets to Megan to be on this case to get emails from other kids to be worthy of the video game making of the man.

"(Simon Harper...)" she does some work to hack through his background check. "(This game's too good, and this might be something for Bruce, Terry, and Gwen to learn more about this. I better get cracking.)"

This might take a bit for her...Upon reaching Sentrycroft, Corey is awed by the paraphernalia normally found only in the games—vehicles, weapons, uniforms. He meets two other players, Dempsey and Burfid also in awe of what they've found. Harper, wearing the 'robe of the wise one' greets them and congratulates them as being the three top-scoring players in all of Gotham. Harper reveals a great secret: the world depicted in the game represents an actual conflict; there really is a corp of Sentries, and the game is actually a test to find new recruits worthy of joining. He invites the boys to join the ranks of the Sentries. Elsewhere, Batman and Batwoman patrol the skies of Gotham and learns from Bruce that there's been a break-in at the Hall of Records.

"So get this, my school counselor says my problem is I lack direction." Terry/Batman said to Bruce.

He gets an alarm to go off to tell the two crime fighting duos to have some trouble.

"Go to the hall of records, I'm showing a break-in at their data bank." he said.

"Speak of the devil..."

For Batwoman to say that part as a joke.

"Somehow I don't think that's what she meant by direction." said Batman.

"(We're on it, Uncle Bruce.)" Gwen tell him.

Both Batwoman and Batman investigate and finds the three new Sentries—complete with uniforms, flying disks, and energy swords—preparing to destroy the records, claiming that the data bank has been infected by 'the Dark Regent'. The two remove the swords from Batarangs to melting them with fire.

"Oh, boys..." Batwoman speaks up. "I think this place isn't for doing any role playing tonight."

"And I though the Century Con was next month." and Batman.

Batwoman and Batman confront them and when it becomes apparent he's there to stop them, the three quickly incapacitate them and destroy the records.

"Centuries away!"

And off they go, everything gets destroyed by the three boys. That's not good...! The place is a mess for Batwoman to have a fire shield and her staff to get out of this mess to helping out Batman next.

"(Oh, no...! Terry!)"

"Gwen, how's Terry? He is hurt?!" Bruce asks her.

With her strength to save her boyfriend's life to get out of the rubble.

"I'm here..."

"(Thank God!)" Gwen hugs Terry.

"What happened?" Bruce asks them.

It was hard to explain to him.

"I just got my butt kicked from a group Sentries of Cosmos."

"From the video game?" confused Batwoman.

Even Bruce and Ace were lost as Batwoman was but Gwen.

"What?" confused Bruce.

Returning to school, Terry and Gwen talk to Max.

"You two are kidding me...Real Sentries?"

"That's what it looks like straight from a video game itself, Maxie." Gwen tells her friend.

"They said they're on a sacred mission from the Wise One."

When Terry repeats the Sentries' words that they were on 'a sacred mission from Wise One', Max remembers Corey calling Harper the 'Wise One'.

"The maker of the video game himself?" surprised Gwen. "Then this whole thing could be a big set up of some kind."

And with Terry saying this for them to go and investigate...

"Is Jar-Jar lame?"

She, Gwen, and Terry go to Corey and ask about what he saw at Sentrycroft but he refuses to tell them anything.

Sorry, but I have to go." he takes off.

The three realize something is wrong, because normally Corey wouldn't be able to stop talking about the place.

"What now, oh wise one?" Max asks the couples.

That night, Batman and Batwoman investigate Sentrycroft.

"(I've taken care of the security systems from this spot.)" Gwen does it already. "(The rest we're on our ow, Terry, so be ready.)"

Unfortunately, only one special type of security system releases several probes that attack.

"You didn't get them all!" shout out Batwoman.

Batman destroys the probes along with Batwoman's flaming punches and kicks; and then they're met by Harper.

"You two are quite good."

They question Harper about the Sentries but Harper denies any involvement.

"(Something up, I think he's lying...)" Gwen senses it.

"I wish I can help, good luck." he said.

After Batman and Batwoman leave, Simon calls in his Sentries and gives them their next mission: the Dark Regent is on Earth disguised as a man known as Eldon Michaels.

"Eldon Michaels...?" questioned Batman.

"Whoever this man is could be important for some strange reason. We better go check it out, Bats."

Having unearthed Eldon's name in connection with Harper's, both Batwoman and Batman go to investigate his apartment. Once there, he is menaced by a shadowy man with a gun. Batman disables him with a batarang and is surprised to see that the man is Eldon, who is harmless and was only trying to defend himself.

"Ow, that hurt!" he said.

This confuses the two crime fighting duos.

"Ow, that hurt"?" surprise Batman.

Out of the shadows, Eldon shows his true self to be human and a nerd.

"(Eldon is a human being...He just likes to collect a lot of things in his life time.)" said Gwen. "(This is so much...)"

"Sorry, I thought you two were someone else."

He seems to be harmless to do his work a lot to not be an enemy.

"Well, we didn't know. Looks like you're fine." said Batwoman."

"And you're cute looking..." Eldon likes Batwoman looks.

She shoves him aside a little to keep his distance.

"Not my type, Eldon..." she said.

"What's this thing, a word processor?"

Batman asks Eldon about the odd type writer on his desk to never seen one before.

"It's a TYPEWRITER." he tells Batman. "It belonged to Philip K. Dick, the greatest writer who ever lived?"

Now they know that Eldon's a writer.

"(Really?!)"

"You're a writer too?" surprised Batman.

"Well, duh!"

"Okay, okay!" Batwoman gets to the point. "Since you're not an enemy which is a good ting, then answer us this next question..."

Batman asks Eldon why Harper is after him, to which Eldon replies that Harper is a fraud.

"I'll tell you why, Harper's a fraud. A fake to take anything away from me, and I can prove it." Eldon shows them two the evidences in his hands.

Before he can show Batman and Batwoman the evidence of what he's talking about, the Sentries arrive and attack.

"(Oh, no...! Not right now!)" said Gwen. "(Eldon, stay behind us!)"

Batman tries to fight them off, but he's unsuccessful and Eldon is captured to Batwoman didn't want to hurt any kids.

"You got to be kidding me!"

In spite of their failure, Batman manages to retrieve the envelope that Eldon tried to give him.

"(What does it have, Terry?)" Gwen asks her boyfriend. "(I can feel it being very important.)"

Looks like it's a big one to be a clue.

"I think it is, Gwen..."

Reading it for Megan explains the rest to them and Bruce on what Eldon has on Harper.

Megan: Simon Harper it's charge on a lot of things to owe Eldon a lot of money back. Why? Thanks to the success of the Sentries of the Last Cosmos franchise, Harper became immensely rich and popular. Consequently, he soon lost his grip on reality and started to live out his own fiction. He created a merchandising empire based on his franchise, and cast himself in the role of 'The Great Wise One'. In his private estate, Sentrycroft, Harper surrounded himself by high-tech machinery resembling of his fictional world. Harper was bound by contract to share the profits of his game with its writer, Eldon Michaels, but when he failed to do so, Michaels sued Harper for 20% of the royalties. So he's kind of most wanted on the bounty list for fail to pay from something he did.

So that's why...The Sentries take Eldon to Harper, who is angry that they didn't kill him. The Sentries claim they couldn't, as it would violate the Sentries' Code of Honor. Harper has no such aversions and starts to attack Eldon with lighting bolts thrown from his hands, claiming that Eldon has plotted against him. Bewildered and scared, Eldon says it was only a lawsuit he filed. Hearing this, the Sentries are confused.

"What's he talking about?" ask one of the Sentries.

"This." Batman shows up with Batwoman.

Both Batwoman and Batman then appear and shows them the envelope, which contains the original story for Sentries of the Last Cosmos.

"I believe you boys want to read this since Eldon has proof on Harper's lies."

After the two stopped the other bad ones together in combat, Batman explains that Eldon wrote the story, and partnered with Harper to produce it as a video game. However, Harper didn't want to share the immense profits and popularity from the game, and so he cut Eldon out.

"Don't listen to them! They're trying to cloud your minds!" he said.

What the Sentries were actually destroying were the original contracts between Eldon and Harper, who attacks Batman with his lightning, while the Sentries start to read the story.

"(Batman!)" Gwen uses her fire shield to save her boyfriend's life.

Batman manages to subdue Harper and Batwoman to fry his suit in flames, for Harper to be down for the count and who calls desperately to his Sentries for help.

"Face reality, you idiot!" said Batwoman. "You've lost!"

However, now realizing that he stole the story from Eldon—and lied to them about the Sentries being real—they turn on him.

"Game over."

"(Well done, boys.)" Gwen was happy to help out Eldon next. "(And you're going to be just fine with Harper going away to jail after today, good sir.)"

Terry and Gwen return to Bruce 'as Megan arrests Harper and some of his goons', who pities Corey and his friends for looking to a video game for something to believe in. This leads Terry to wonder aloud why Harper went to all the trouble to eliminate Eldon, since he was already plenty rich and didn't owe him that much money.

"It's not easy to give up being God." Bruce tells them.

"I guess Megan and you'd know."

Bruce speculates that Harper cared less about money than losing his fans' worship. For Gwen to understand on what's real and what's not to believe in.

"But what will they do now?" Terry asked to be holding Gwen.

"It's hard to say, Terry, but there's a lesson to all of this." she explains. "It's okay to play something made up to know you still have to do real life stuff. Things to make on who and what you are is what counts to know you're not insane in keeping things in check. For Corey and his friends, I think everything's going to be just fine with the real man like Eldon to keep his game series to go on forever."

However, the players aren't done with the game. For Gwen does make a very good point...They return the original draft to Eldon and ask him questions about the game, claiming that he's the 'real Wise One'.

"It all started a long, long time ago, in a Cosmos far from Earth..." Liking the idea, Eldon invites them in and begins to tell the story.


	36. Payback

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 36 – Payback

A teenager, Drew, heads out of the store that he works in but his boss, Warren, calls him back in saying that he has to do overtime. When Drew protests, Warren threatens to fire him. Drew returns and another individual, a tall figure in an outfit walks in. Warren mocks the figure, but he angrily locks the door and attacks. Warren pulls out the cash drawer, activating the silent alarm, and tries to give it to the man but it's swatted away. Warren tries to run while the man goes to Drew and tells him to stay where he is and he'll be safe.

"Stay here, you'll be safe." said Payback.

He continues to go after Warren, claiming that he's doing this for the kids that he disrespects. He almost kills Warren with a laser whip but Batman and Batwoman intervene recognizing the man as 'Payback'.

"(Who is this man?)" Gwen wonders.

"Batman and Batwoman!"

"Payback, right?" Batman question the new villain.

At first he claims that he's Batwoman and Batman's allies, but when Batman refuses to help him, Payback decides he's the enemy too along with his partner.

"Way a go, Bats..." said Batwoman to be ready to fight him.

After a brief fight, Payback escapes while Batman saves an ungrateful Warren.

"Look at this...Couldn't you two fight outside?"

Batwoman hits Warren right upside the head.

"You're welcome!" she said. "Well, looks like we got ourselves a uncontrollable enemy to deal with."

After the fight, Terry talks to Bruce about the encounter and Bruce points out that he failed to capture Payback.

"He must be too good to outsmart you both." he said.

"(We're are trying, Uncle Bruce.)" Gwen looks up on something. "(From what both Megan and I can gather...Payback goes after adults who do some mean things to other kids. So strange, and yet I sense a lot of sadness from this Payback person.)"

Back at the Batcave, Bruce shows Terry and Gwen that 'what she said was true' that there's a connection between the victims of Payback, as they're linked to teenagers that attend counseling sessions at the Gotham Youth Counseling Center.

"It just a place where people talk about their problems..." said Terry.

"Lots of things to be going on." Megan talks from the Bat-Computer. "Hey you guys, how's it hanging? Looks, this place is important to talk about things people are scared to say to their lovers, friends, or their families about to feel scared for some reason. My guess is this: one of you two has to hack to the system to learn and find something from it. Leads, suspects, and clues...While the other one goes there undercover to see other people on how that place is done. It's the only lead we got."

Megan has a point for Bruce to say this to Terry and Gwen as well.

"You know, we did do detective work before there was a net."

He has Terry enroll into the Center in order to learn more.

"Okay." Gwen was in as well. "Terry, you'll go undercover there, and I'll try hacking into the place for us to get something from it. (This has got to work.)"

While at the Center 'with Gwen sneaking in to hack into the system carefully', Terry listens as some teenagers talk about their issues in life, particularly a girl named Trina and her problems with her boyfriend DuWayne. When asked what his problem is, Terry claims that it's Bruce.

"It sounds to me that Mr. Wayne really does respect you but that he has a hard time showing it." said Dr. DuWayne.

"Why do you think that is?" Terry asks the doctor.

"Maybe some trauma in his past."

After the session, the head doctor, Dr. Stanton takes Terry through the center and talks to him about it. During the walk, Dr. Staton introduces Terry to the two 'resident geniuses' Howard Lewis and Dr. Stanton's son Kenny Stanton. Kenny asks his father to play but is refused. While Terry talks to Howard, Kenny continues to ask about doing something but his father refuses saying he has to work. Just then, a nurse rushes in saying that a girl, Maxine Gibson, has arrived saying she has an emergency. Dr. Stanton leaves to take care of the situation giving Terry time to search things on his own.

"Okay, Terry, Maxie has gotten the rest...It's time to investigate some more." Gwen reports to her boyfriend.

"Man, I love it when you say it so hot like." he said back. "I'm on it, Gwen, just keep an eye on things a bit longer."

"Roget that."

Terry sneaks into Dr. Stanton's room and hacks into his computer and Gwen gives it to Bruce on the other details to send out.

"Good work, you two. I'm starting the download next." he gets to work on his end.

Bruce quickly starts a download but while this goes on, Terry is attacked from behind by an unseen assailant.

"Terry? What's wrong? What happened? Terry!" Gwen got worried. "(Did someone followed him? Payback?)"

When Terry comes around, he sees both Howard and Dr. Stanton looking down over him. Terry manages to make up an excuse for his being there and manages to avoid suspicion. He calls Gwen back for her and Bruce to hear his voice to be alive and well.

"Sorry to have you worried, Gwen."

"It's fine, Terry, at least you're well." she said. "So, what do we do next...?"

After returning to Bruce wit Gwen too, Terry is scolded for not watching his back.

"Why weren't you watching your back?" Bruce questions Terry.

"I was too busy watching my front." he answers back. "Am I supposed to have eyes everywhere?"

"And I lost connection when Terry was finishing up, Uncle Bruce." Gwen tries to defend her boyfriend. "Please don't blame this on him."

Not to be mean about it, but it was the only way to learn sometimes.

"Gwen, I'm just telling Terry to be more careful next time." he said back. "And Terry, only if you want to live to a ripe old age."

"You don't make it sound too inviting."

Bruce tends to Terry's wound then tells him about what Gwen and he found. He's confirmed that Payback is linked to the Center and due to the fact that he has attacked victims from several different sessions, he has access to the Center's files.

"Payback goes after teachers, bosses, parents, and a few others on his target listing." said Bruce.

"I was right about this man getting to the adults more to save the kids with their problems...Someone at the place gets this information to be a fake." she said.

Terry instantly jumps to the conclusion that it's Howard, who has access to the files, but Bruce doesn't see a motive.

"It has to be Howard to be the only one who can access to the files."

"Terry, if that's true – what could be Howard's motive?" Bruce questions Terry. "What of the doctor?"

True, but he would've done things like this to do his best being a doctor for the kids, and for Terry to follow his gut.

"You always tell me to follow my gut, and I am." he said to getting his Batman suit on.

Good point...

"Be careful, both of you." Bruce smiles. "Your guts are still young."

"We will, Uncle Bruce." Gwen transforms. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Bot Batwoman and Batman headed out to the Center and finds that Howard has been making strange looking statues and also finds the laser whip that Payback had wielded.

"Some good clues in here so far..." said Batwoman. "But will this prove anything, Einstein?"

While Batman examines the laser, Howard attacks him.

"(Batman, look out!)" Gwen warns him.

After a brief fight, Batman eventually brings Howard down and Batwoman ties him up.

"Good, Bats, I got him!" she has her fire out to be a warning. "Don't make me burn you, mister..."

When Batman accuses Howard of being Payback with Gwen helping him out, they seem to have no idea what Batman is talking about.

"What...?"

"You're Payback to have the laser shows it's the weapon he uses!" said Batman.

For Howard didn't know what Batman or Batwoman meant to not be Payback, he also claims that the laser is only used to cut the statues.

"But I use that type of laser to cut my statues to make them..." he said to them.

For Gwen to check the fingerprints to not match or feel the same from Payback's hand markings.

"(Batman, hes right. This isn't Payback.)"

Bruce calls Terry and Gwen and alert them to the fact that Payback is attacking someone far from the Center.

"Oh, great!" Batwoman was upset. "We just almost hurt the wrong man!"

Batman sheepishly apologizes and leaves Howard looking over his destroyed statues.

"Sorry."

"(Please forgive us.)" and Gwen. "(We have to go after the real Payback who's on the streets.)"

Meanwhile, Payback cuts his way into DuWayne's truck and mocks him for caring nothing for his girlfriend. He forces DuWayne to lose control of the truck, sending it over a cliff. It's only through Batwoman and Batman's interventions that they are saved.

"You two have a bad romance." Batwoman takes off with her partner. "Unlike two other people I know of...They love each other a lot."

Afterwards, Batman and Batwoman go after Payback and attacks them both. For no fire blast can't stop the laser sword whip at all.

"That won't work on me..."

"Now he tells me!" said Batwoman.

Payback fights back refusing to listen to reason. During the fight, Payback starts a forest fire and escapes while Batman tends to the blaze with Gwen/Batwoman takes care of it in seconds.

"Batwoman!" he asks for her help.

"Lots of fire to absorb, baby!"

A close call there, huh? Back in the Batcave, Terry and Gwen fill Bruce in.

"Oh, no...Here comes another scolding..."

Gwen moves aside as Bruce scolds Terry for his reckless actions with Howard telling him:

"You injured an innocent man. That's inexcusable!" he said. "Gwen restrain him, and you went too far!"

"(Awkward...)" Gwen's other self said.

Terry decides that Payback is Dr. Stanton, but Bruce snaps at him again and insists that they'll do things his way from now on.

"We'll be taking our time to getting it done."

"Yes, Uncle Bruce..." Gwen understood to check on her Terry next by hugging and kissing his cheek. "It'll work out, Terry, I don't blame you for hurting someone we thought to be Payback by accident. We can still do this."

Holding his girl to try it out with Bruce and some help from Megan next.

"I know, Gwen, let's see what we can do." Terry agrees. "You're amazing to be there by my side."

The next day for Gwen to scan in the building on what she could find, Terry goes to the Center and complains about how Bruce treats him and how he thinks he'll never be good enough for him. While some believe that Terry should quit and get another job, other patients advise that he should confront Bruce, Terry agrees with them, but mentions how Bruce will be attending a party at a new hotel. The others tell him he can't put it off. Terry hopes a night away from his house will mellow Bruce out a little but they tell him he'll never mellow out.

"Hey, Gwen." Megan joins in. "Is it happening?"

"It is..." she said. "I just hope it'll work without him getting hurt."

Something tells Megan that it'll all be find.

"I think we can both pull this off."

That night, Terry and Gwen take Bruce to the Vreeland Marquis Hotel while newscasts announce him as Megan stood by her husband's side for protection. Things seem to be okay but while Bruce rides in the elevator with Megan, Payback arrives and attacks him letting the other people on the elevator leave.

"Megan, you know what to do." he said.

Trying to be a friend to Bruce, to protect him still in real life for them to be married and in love.

"Right..." she gets her gun out. "Hey, Payback! You want to get to Mr. Wayne, then you got to get through to me first!"

Firing some gun shots, with the suit protecting this man to walk through it all.

"Not happening, lady, Bruce Wayne's mine."

Cutting through Megan's whip to be trapped in it, Payback wants Bruce gone.

"You're a mean old man, you know that?" he said.

"Mmm-hmm, and what are you?" Bruce said while smiling.

"Your worst nightmare!"

Like Payback can scare Bruce or Megan.

"You have no idea what my nightmares are like." he said to the villain.

Bruce delays Payback for a while but is unable to prevent him from cutting one of the elevator's brakes causing it to fall.

"Bruce!" Megan tries to get him out of there.

Fortunately, Batman manages to rescue the two lovers, revealing this was part of the plan he and Bruce worked out. And for Batwoman to throw a tracker on Payback to follow him easily.

"(It's done!)"

"I told you my plan would work out." Bruce said.

"And it did!" said Megan. "So far..."

Payback continues his assault cutting a support beam trying to crush Bruce but it fails and when Batman and Batwoman try to confront him, the structural damage causes the floor to fall out form under him.

"Ah, you guys..." Batwoman tries to warn them both. "Get out of the way!"

With Batwoman melting the metal parts and Gwen hacking to the suit to not be used anymore, Batman saves him and Payback is unmasked as Kenny.

"Is Stanton's son..." said Batman.

For him, Bruce, Megan, and Gwen feel bad for Kenny to be behind it all.

"(Kenny...)"

"Why, Dad...?" said the sad Kenny. "All I want is for you to spend time from me and away from your work..."

While Kenny is being taken away by the police, his father realizes that this happened because he neglected him for Megan to see that she blames the father more than the young boy.

"Some father you turned out to be..." she said. "(Sorry, you guys, but I have to let the police handle this. Kids aren't my thing to harm.)"

Kenny's motive was that if he solved his patients' problems, then his father would have more time for him.

"I only blame myself for this..."

"Go to your son." said Bruce.

Bruce tells Dr. Stanton to go to his son and leaves with Terry, Megan, and Gwen.

"I'm glad you're okay." Megan kisses her husband.

"You did great today too, Megan."

Bruce marvels over how well Terry performed and Gwen finding out more from hacking a lot, but he quietly says that Terry wasn't performing.

"By the way, exactly what did you say in that group to get Payback so mad at me?" Bruce asks Terry. "You must've given quite a convincing performance."

Terry smiled to answer back to be more than getting Payback to coming out of the open to go after Bruce.

"Who said anything about performing?"

And neither of the two girls didn't notice it at all.

"You weren't, Terry?" Gwen was lost. "(I better keep that talk aside from Uncle Bruce to know but Megan and me only.)"

For Bruce and Megan to see their love and a bit more different like Terry and Gwen's to be in love to and think differently, it was hard to tell what was what sometimes...With Bruce and Megan looking at each other to have trouble knowing what was what.

"Good thing they're nothing like Kenny was, that was be a bad Payback type of version..."

You said it, Megan. Lesson – parents, please spend more time with kids to for parents to work it out and others to be better to them besides getting some help from a doctor, yes.


	37. Where's Terry?

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 37 – Where's Terry?

Terry, Gwen, Dana, Maxine, and Howard walk out of the Majestic Theater after watching the classic movie Casablanca.

"So what'd you think of it, Howard?" Terry asks his friend.

"Been there, done that."

Howard thinks Terry was talking about the food.

"He was talking about the movie, Howard, not the snack bar." Max tells him.

"It beats better than getting too hungry..." said Dana.

"Or seeing movies with real powers like mine." Gwen shows off her works. "In fact, I never felt better on my fire to be so well done."

It was cool for Gwen to be in self control of her fire powers for the other four to watch.

"It's great." said Dana. "You know, Gwen. I thought at first you would be trouble, to then not liking you, to slowly getting it, but now I see you're a good person to Terry. You two make the right couple. I was wrong about you and I hope we can still be friends."

"Sure, Dana, we two got to care about Terry differently, right?"

"For caring and understanding, we both do. I will love someone again. For now, I'm glad to be friends."

Terry and Dana do hug it out to still love as friends they are and always will be.

"I'm happy you two are getting along." he said.

"Hey, Dana...Maybe we can go out sometimes...?" Howard tries asking Dana.

Well, she'll just be friends with Howard for him to have a girlfriend of his own one day.

"Do't push it, Howard." she said to him.

Almost losing balance for Gwen to fall, Terry catches her in time to almost getting burned.

"Sorry!"

Shocking to the others, Terry wasn't even hurt.

"Are you kidding me, Gwen? This is nothing. I'm quite use to it."

Seems to have no affect on those fro Gwen to truly care about. The others then laugh to see Gwen's other cool tricks.

"Please don't scare us like that, Terry." Dana tells him.

"Oh! Gwen!" Howard had an idea. "Do the thing I like!"

"Okay..."

She does a trick of making animals shadow puppet shapes of many to not stop for the others to like seeing it.

"Do mine!" Max tells her.

Gwen then does a silly face thing of many emotions.

"Now mine."

With Terry asking next, Gwen does a fart sound to make fire burst up in the air to be funny to watch and had the others laughing. What a fun time to be with friends for Gwen to go out with her boyfriends and other she cares about.

"This is fun." Dana said with a smile.

Terry and Gwen begin to talk, with Gwen revealing it was nice to spend quality time together, but is upset of how both of their jobs interfere sometimes.

"Hey, Terry, it's nice to get out like this a lot. You and I with good friends during the night."

"It is when we're not busy so much." he said. However, Terry reassures her that despite his job and hers, he reveals that she is more important to him. "Still, you're most important to me, Gwen, so much I can't be away from you for one day."

"You're so cute when you say sweet things to me..."

Terry and Gwen then share a sweet kiss, before Terry heads off into the subway.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Gwen. Night, you guys."

"Night, Terry." Gwen said to be smiling and blushing so much.

In the subway, Terry notices a suspicious looking individual dressed in a trench coat and hat. Terry follows the man into the tunnels and loses him as a train goes by. However, he continues in anyway. Not good! The next morning, his mother notices his bed is still made and believes Terry didn't come home. At school Dana begins to worry for Terry since Gwen starts to get scared from her boyfriend being this late, but believes that Terry must be sick, though Dana remains worried.

"(Oh, boy...Boy troubles.)" said Gwen's inner self.

"Terry, please be all right..."

Dana and Max had to say something to her.

"I'm sure Max is right, Gwen. Terry might be a bit sick today. A little stomach bug." she said. "I wouldn't worry about or I'll get worried for having you worry too much."

"I know, Dana, but I love him a lot to worry to keep my powers cool down. There's so much for our relationship to grow..."

"Love is love after all." Max tells her friend.

Dana then gave a good tip and advice of love to Gwen for her to remember something.

"Let me tell you something about love, and not from my dates...Love is a strong thing how a guy and a girl meet up. Slowly to see what they like to get to know each other well to go up to a few steps of the five. One is sweet talking, the second is holding hands, to then three to go to the hugging part, the number four will be kissing, and last is five – where you two can do many touching of a making out type to do all at once. The last step is what you'll be getting to first.

"And let's not forget the bonus one..." Max said.

That last part Gwen doesn't get at all.

"And what's that?" she asked.

Dana tells her to be careful on the last one to sound serious.

"No! Not unless you want to, don't let any guy like Terry force you to!" said Dana. "Do not do the bonus step if you don't like it!"

I think we all know what it means...Ha!

"We're taking a slow time with us...I get it, Dana, thanks." Gwen gets back to her studying. "(Maxie, looks like you and me will have to see how Terry's doing later on after school. This isn't like him to miss class without a very good reason. What happened to you."

Out at the Batcave, Bruce finds he can't contact Terry. Worried, he leaves Wayne Manor.

"Megan, I can't contact Terry. Could you help me find him?"

"I'm on my way to your place now, Bruce." she said. "Whatever has happened to him, we'll find Terry."

Meanwhile, Max and Dana talk over the phone 'since she was worried about Gwen' and share information that Terry hasn't been home all day.

"Oh, no..." Gwen was even more worried.

"Come on, Gwen, we'll find him. I promise. Have you ever written something down to tell Terry how you really feel?"

Gwen has to be a cute poem to try giving to Terry, but she was too nervous to do so.

"I have..."

"Let me see: 'From the moment we meant, that I'll never forget. The best we you saved me, for me to never regret. You mean a lot, Terry, more than the entire world. For you as a very cute boy, and for me the only sweet and special girl.'" she reads the whole thing. "Cute, I think he'll like it."

There's a knock at Max's door and she finds that it's Bruce and Megan.

"Uncle Bruce. Megan." Gwen was surprise to see them.

"Yo!" Megan said. "We came to help you two find Terry."

Bruce asks where Terry is and where he was.

"You seen Terry?"

"Last time Gwen and I saw him was at the train station." Max said to Bruce.

After obtaining this information he heads out to look.

"Let's go, Megan." he said to his wife. "You just go home."

Max goes after him and ignores Bruce's orders to go home.

"But, Uncle Bruce, Maxie has done a lot for us." Gwen tells him. "She can help out."

"There's no point of turning back now..." Megan said. "We're going to need all the help we can get."

Together, they make it to the subway station while Gwen holds on to her poem to give to Terry once he's found.

"(Terry, wait for us...We're coming to find you.)"

Batman wakes up buried underneath rubble staring up at a young boy, who demands to know why Batman's there. Batman explains that he was following someone, he was spotted, then nothing. He asks the boy what he's doing down there. The boy simply says that he's finding Batman the fastest way out. Elsewhere, Ollie notices that there are sound vibrations being picked up by some tracking equipment and signals to Shriek 'he was back again'. He tells Shriek that Batman's still alive. Angered, Shriek dons his suit and attempts to cause another collapse but the tunnels make aiming difficult for him. Still he fires away.

"Still getting back at Batman, what about Batwoman?" Ollie asks his boss.

"If she shows up...then I'll kill her too. One thing at a time, Ollie. I will do this."

Batman and the boy continue to walk on and Batman notes that the boy wants him out pretty bad. Batman deduces that the boy is a runaway, but before they can talk further, Shriek's blast causes another cave in trapping the duo in a dead end.

Bruce, Megan, Gwen, and Max continue to search and Bruce unsuccessfully tries to deter Max from going along with him.

"Have you seen anything?" Bruce asks Max.

She couldn't find anything either like the other two girl were having some trouble tracking Terry down.

"No."

"Then why do I need you?" he questions her again.

"Have you seen anything?" Bruce scowls after Max said that to him.

This is getting way out of hand if they're going to work together...

"Uncle Bruce-!"

Megan stops Gwen from doing anything.

"Ah, let them work this one out, Gwen, trust me." she said. "Bruce may not look like it, but he does care for others like Max of their safety is all."

"I have my reasons." Bruce kisses Megan on the lips. "Like you, Megan, I worry about you every day."

"You're something else."

A group of Ts walks by and Max notices that one of them is wearing Terry's backpack.

"That's Terry's backpack."

"She's right!" Gwen agrees with her friend.

Bruce, Gwen, Megan, and Max follow after the Ts and offers to purchase the backpack at any price. However, the Ts are suspicious and jump them. Meanwhile, the boy goes on about how half the students in his school want to be Batman and he's in the other half, preferring to idolize villains.

"Who do you want to be?" Batman asks the boy.

"Maybe Blight or Spellbinder. Or somebody in the Royal Flush Gang."

He was serious to become a super villain one day. Oh, brother!

"Are you serious?" Batman was shock to hear.

"Hey, they did what they wanted and didn't let anyone tell them what to do!" he said to the Dark Knight. Batman continues to search for a way out and learns that the Gotham River flows around the tunnels and that opening any of the walls will cause a flood. However, the boy indirectly discovers a spot on the wall without condensation and gives out a hollow sound. Believing he may have found a way out, Batman sets up his explosives. "What are you doing?"

"My explosives." Batman sets them up.

This has to work.

"You sure this is going to work?" the boy questions him. "I mean, if you use too much you could blow up..."

"You think Blight would've worried about something like that?" Before activating the explosives, Batman asks the boy his name and learns it to be Dak (short for Darius Arthur Kellman). "I don't even know your name."

"It's 'Dak'." he said.

"Dak? It sounds like a throat lozenge."

Batman then activates the explosives thereby alerting Shriek and Ollie to his presence. Unfortunately, when the wall gives, it reveals that there is a support beam behind it. Fortunately, a hole in the roof breaks open and while it's too small for Batman to fit through, Dak can manage. Dak is surprised that Batman trusts him but Batman tells him it's better that only Dak gets out rather than neither of them. Unfortunately Dak leaves and finds himself confronted by Shriek. Elsewhere, Max gets impatient waiting for Bruce and goes to check up on him.

"Maxie!" Gwen goes with her friend. "Just stay close to me...Uncle Bruce can handle these things you know."

Finding the Ts are about to beat up on Bruce, she gets them close enough to her, and she sprays them with mace. The Ts release Bruce and he manages to fight off the rest of them and Megan helps him out, and Gwen uses some fire to catch him off guard.

"Mess with Bruce Wayne, then you T's mess with me!" Megan fights back. "Booya!"

Bruce then interrogates the remaining T and learns where Terry had been the night before.

"He found it at the subway station."

"You sure he's telling the truth?" Max asks Bruce.

"Yes." he answers.

As Megan, Gwen, Bruce, and Max head out to the subway. For both Megan and Gwen hack through the underground train station again topick up on something.

"I got something..." she leads the way. "Follow me, people."

"Maybe Terry's down now. I'll be ready to go as Batwoman once we're there." said Gwen. "Let's go!"

Back in the tunnels, Batman quietly sits and thinks about his next move. Shriek calls out to him and threatens to kill Dak if Batman doesn't show up.

"Idiot. Nobody sacrifices their life for somebody else." Dak tells Shriek. "Not in this world."

Like this type of villain cares.

"You don't know Batman."

Dak claims that Batman can't show up because he's trapped, accidentally revealing that he knows where he is, and Shriek threatens him into showing him where to find him. Max continues to follow after Bruce, Megan, and Gwen in spite of the fact that Bruce keeps telling her he doesn't want her there, not because of his pride but because of his conscience.

"See, Gwen...?" Megan tells her. "I told you Bruce cares about Max's safety."

Max still refuses to listen but the debate is cut off when they notice that a repair crew has cut off the tunnel.

"How we going to get in now and to transform without anyone seeing me?" Gwen was worried even more.

Bruce tells Max to sneak into the tunnel while he distracts the workers.

"I can distract them while you sneak in, Max." he said.

"Are you sure...?"

However, when Max tries, Bruce points her out thereby getting the workers after her and giving himself ample time to sneak into the tunnel himself.

"Uncle Bruce!" Gwen sees what Bruce was doing.

"Let's go, Gwen, it's time to have Batwoman to guide me the rest of the way. Megan has Max, she'll be fine."

She takes care of it.

"Later, boys." she said. "Max, it's fine. Bruce and Gwen will handle the rest."

And with that for Max to leave the rest to the other two...Gwen transforms.

"Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Dak takes Shriek to a wall covered in condensation and says that's where Batman is. Shriek destroys the wall, thereby allowing the river to flow inside and is swept away. Dak tries to escape but he too is swept away in the flood. Fortunately, the flood further opens the hole and grants Batman a chance to escape. He follows Dak's cries for help and saves him from falling to his death. Unfortunately, Shriek catches up with him and prepares to kill his enemy.

"Why do they always talk so much?" Bruce, however, shows up and defeats Shriek.

"Hey, Shriek, what's cooking?"

Batwoman fire set his suit on fire to remove it, and stopping Ollie as well in a beat down to go down in seconds. Ha! With those two arrested and Terry/Batman found, Megan gets her bounty and Max helped by calling the cops to high fiving each other.

"All right!" the two girl said.

With the ordeal over, Dak heads for home and Bruce and Terry talk things over. Bruce explains that he's spent most of the evening with Max and the two finally came to an understanding for Megan and Gwen to witness it all. Below, Max is led away by Subway Security once Megan too care of the rest.

"Ah, Uncle Bruce...?"

"Like I said, Gwen, she'll be fine." Bruce tells her. "Good work today."

Yeah...As Gwen and Terry had some alone time again, for her to read the poem she made for her boyfriend to be too nervous to read it.

"Terry...I made this for you..."

Having trouble, Terry looks at her paper.

"A poem for me...? You made this?" Terry reads it. "Gwen, you don't have to write silly things to have me fall in love with you even more."

"I don't?" Gwen was lost.

"No. I love you just he way you are." he hugs Gwen. "I love holding you in my arms, spending time, fighting crime, kissing, and maybe...Well..."

He was blushing to have trouble saying something too.

"What? What is it, Terry?"

"Maybe take our relationship to the next level if you want." he said. "And maybe later, you can move in with me. I'll talk to my Mom about it first."

From the place Megan and Bruce use to hang out in to become a nice apartment, it'll happen soon for Terry and Gwen.

"Really? You mean it?" surprised Gwen. "I didn't think it could happen if I didn't find you but we all did and...Terry, I love you so much."

"I know. I love you too, Gwen."

They kiss for Gwen's fire powers to spark up in the air like fireworks to be a strong and beautiful one to behold. A nice thing for Max, Dalk, Bruce, and Megan to see of Gwen and Terry's over to be so lovely to behold.

"Oops!" she stops. "That part I have trouble controlling sometimes. Hate to put some places up in flames."

But it didn't happen at least.

"Hey, it's fine. See?" Terry points out. "It'll be fine, Gwen."

"I know it will, Terry, I know."

A sweet love, to go all five steps so far, right? Terry finally makes it home and prepares to get some much needed sleep but his mother catches him. She takes his holding the blanket as a sign that he's started making his bed in the morning and is relieved to know he's coming home at night. Satisfied that all is well, she sends Terry to eat his breakfast. Oh well, he does get to good night sleep early after today, you know...He last for one more day.


	38. Ace in the Hole

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 38 – Ace in the Hole

Terry drives Bruce to his chiropractor's appointment and then takes Ace for a walk while he and Gwen are waiting.

"Ten minutes."

"Yeah, yeah." said Terry to be walking Ace. "Come on, Gwen, I might need your help."

The couple enjoy walking Ace together.

"He's such a wonderful dog and my best friend to love...Well, I love you still, Terry. Mean differently for Ace." she said to her boyfriend.

"I know what you mean, Gwen. He's smart, strong, loyal, and one heck of a Great Dane."

Suddenly, Ace catches sight of a strange man and becomes wild, dragging Terry along while chasing after the man, who flees.

"Hey, wait!" Terry tries to get Ace back. "Gwen, help me out!"

"He's chasing after that man for some reason...Wait, Ace! Uncle Bruce said you have to stay with us to walk you!" Gwen follows the dog. "Slow down!"

Terry is unable to stop him nor Gwen couldn't use her fire powers without hurting her dog friend, and Ace rips off his leash and disappears.

"This is bad..." said Terry.

"(What's the old man going to say now about losing his doggie friend?)"

For Gwen's other half to think about it, the other Gwen tries calling out to Ace to be very worried.

"Ace! Ace, please come back! Ace!" she didn't get nothing. "(What's wrong with you...?)"

Bruce confronts Terry to go as Batman and Gwen as Batwoman, who Bruce's baffled as to why Ace chased after the man.

"How come you never put a tracker on him?" he asks Bruce.

"He never ran away from me."

"(Sorry we lost him, Uncle Bruce, please don't be mad. Ace was chasing some strange man who looked like trouble.)" Gwen tells Bruce.

He seems to believe in Gwen's words to find out something odd about Ace going after a strange man.

"Is like Ace wanted to go after him with reasons..." Bruce thought about it.

"Big words might be a big clue to find Ace." said Batwoman. "It's worth a try."

As Bruce wants the two to look for someone to find the person to know that Ace can survive on his own to be a fighter...He also calls up his wife Megan for some help.

"Yo, Bruce, what's up?"

"Look up on someone for me who Ace might know of before I took him in." he said. "Please, Megan."

She'll do what she must to hack into something to getting it down.

"Ace went missing...?" Megan guessed it right. "Okay, I'll see what I can come up with."

For Ace to be strong, he'll be fine for a little while longer...Back at the Batcave, Megan found something for Gwen to scan through and Terry to do the rest to put into the Batcomputer to look at the man on who he is.

"I think we got someone, look." Gwen points it out.

Based on his description, Bruce makes a composite drawing of the man's face and matches it against criminal records. He soon comes up with a match: Ronny Boxer, who has been arrested before on suspicions of animal cruelty and illegal gambling — in other words, he is a promoter of illegal dog fights.

"Dog fights? That scum!" angered Terry.

"Why would a man like him do bad things to the poor dogs...?" upset Gwen. "It's so sad."

"Now we know why Ace recognizes the man." said Bruce.

Gwen, Bruce, and Terry are deeply disgusted. And Megan explains the rest in words on how and why Ace knows of Ronny.

Megan: Ronny Boxer...Most wanted bounty to hurt so many animals because of it. For an unknown amount of time, Boxer purchased puppies to raise as fighting dogs and organized dog fights from the backrooms of shady joints, abandoned warehouses and barges in the docks of Gotham. One of these dogs grew up to be Ace. Boxer was eventually arrested once during Ace's debut fight, where the hound escaped in the chaos and wound up in the care of Bruce Wayne. Years later, Boxer continued his illegal dog fights, going several steps further in his enterprise. He completely mechanized his operations, removing the need for animal handlers and broadcasters, choosing to broadcast his dog fights over the net. He also engaged in dabbling with chemistry, making his own supply of the experimental growth hormone Cerestone, which he used to forcibly enhance his dogs into monstrously grown canines. His first experiment mutated into a horrific monster the size of an elephant.

Bruce reports Ace missing to the police and the animal control authorities. Terry wonders why Bruce isn't more worried, but he says of Ace will be alright. Terry reveals that he's got his own scheme for finding Boxer. He's picked up the names of some thugs associated with dog fights, and plans to approach one posing as a kid with a vicious dog he wants to sell. For appearance, he wraps a bandage around his arm, claiming his aggressive dog attacked him. Amused, the thug tells him where to show up.

"Gwen, you back me up from behind and I'll handle the rest."

"I got you covered, Terry." Gwen says something to Bruce before she leaves with her boyfriend. "Look, Uncle Bruce, the animal patrol and Megan will find Ace. We will too if we must. So there's no need to worry, okay?" she hugs him. "I want him back as much as you do."

While Terry is absent and Gwen leaves with him, Bruce stands in the manor gazing at Ace's bone and dish by the fireplace and softly wonders what has become of his dog...

"What did he do to you, boy?" Bruce asks himself.

Ace's story is told. As a puppy from a batch, he is sold to Boxer illegally by a corrupt pound attendant, Maddie, who then comments that the pup has large 'mitts'. Boxer simply smiles and says he'll make him a champ. Ace is raised to maturity in Boxer's captivity, deprived and tormented to make him as vicious as possible. In his first fight, he is being matched against a much larger beast, which Boxer confidently tells his partner that, should Ace not win, he'll just send him back to the pound. However, just before the fight begins, the police raid the arena and arrest Boxer and his associates. Ace escapes and lives as a stray for some time after that. One snowy night, while Bruce is making his regular pilgrimage to Crime Alley, he is accosted by a Jokerz member, looking to mug him. Bruce tosses him away, but as he turns his back, the angry Jokerz member lunges at him. Ace appears and pounces on the Joker, who clubs him. Angered, Bruce gives the Joker another thrashing and sends him packing. For Megan to arrive at the scene to see Ace for the first time.

"Bruce...? A dog saved you from a Jokerz thug?"

"Let's give him a home, Megan." he said to his wife.

Seeing that Ace has been hurt, Bruce carries him back to his car and his new home and for Megan to help him out. Back in the present day, Megan drives around Gotham to find any leads on Ronny or Ace.

"(Ace, please be strong. We will find you.)" she said.

Elsewhere, Terry's sting has led him to Boxer's hideout, which is empty when he enters it as Batman.

"All clear, Gwen, whenever you're ready to join in." said Terry.

"Okay, I got the gear to hack and I'll meet you inside." Gwen transforms somewhere private. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

The two meet up to getting into the place, for Batwoman to take care of that to use some fire to melting off the lock.

"We're good to go."

They both see what looks like a chemistry lab, and large containers of Cerestone — the growth hormone. Terry is even more revolted and was Gwen/Batwoman too.

"(Why would they do this to animals...?)" Gwen sounded upset.

"I never thought more humans can be as low as anything else...!" same with Batman.

Then Boxer's comes in with a weapon to shoot at the two.

"All in the name of money, Batman and Batwoman."

Firing away to start a fire from the chemicals for Batman to use lots of water to get rid of and Batwoman to absorb the rest...only for Gwen/Batwoman to get thrown from the explosion to send her flying to go out cold.

"Crap..." Batwoman was out cold.

"(Terry...Ace...)"

This allowed Boxer to get away with someone to use in his next match.

"Ah, you'll do nicely sweet heart with fire proof protection." he carries her away.

Not goo for Bruce and Terry to see Gwen getting capture.

"He's got Gwen!" angered Bruce.

"Gwen!" same with Terry/Batman. "I'll get her and Ace back."

Ace wanders the streets for a while, but is captured by animal control. Unfortunately his captor is Boxer's corrupt attendant, who is impressed by his size and strength. He removes Ace's tags and passes him off as a homeless stray before selling him to Boxer for a high price. Boxer recognizes Ace and laughs, saying they must be meant for each other.

"I'll deal with him after the games, I got one person to have the other dogs use as a lively shew toy." he shows the other members the tied up Gwen to think she's just Batwoman. "Let see how long she can last with the mutts."

As Gwen senses out Ace to recognize her, she sees Ace was trapped but alive.

"(Ace! You're alive...)" she does something for her hand to hit a button. "(If I can get Terry and/or Megan to see this tracker, we might have a chance to escape...)"

Gwen activates it, all up to Megan to carry it out for both Terry/Batman and Bruce.

"Thank you, Gwen!"

Thanks to her, Terry tracks down Boxer's latest illegal arena, carved out of the belly of a cargo ship, but Boxer sees him coming and lays a trap.

"(Batman! It's a trap!)" Gwen warns him too late.

"Gwen...!" Batman sees her all tied up.

As soon as Terry enters the arena, Boxer seals the doors and introduces him to an early, failed experiment: an unrecognizable beast that may once have been a bulldog, but is now deformed, vicious, and the size of a bull elephant.

"Get them, boy!"

"Dude, you're so mess up!" said Batwoman. "Bats, get us out of here!"

Terry tries to calm the beast, but it is rabid.

"Down boy, I'm not going to hurt you...Much."

As he evades its attacks, an impact against the walls of the arena loosens the locks on Ace's nearby cage. Terry manages to hogtie the beast and Boxer decides to shoot Terry with a gun. Ace manages to break free and tackles Boxer to also freeing Batwoman to get her powers back from a spark to start a little fire, enough to charge her back up, then chases after him as he runs in panic to the ship's stern.

"(Good boy, Ace!)"

"Now we're talking..." Batwoman powers up. "I'm all fired up and ready to go! Gwen, help me out to save Ace and stopping this mad man!"

The beast manages to snap the bonds and badly damages Terry's suit. Ace returns and jumps down through a hole cut in the arena's ceiling, biting at the beast just as it has swallowed Terry whole.

"Ew..." said Batman. "Batwoman, give me a hand!"

"Got it!" she helps out her partner. "Man, I love that dog." In shock, it regurgitates Terry, who takes advantage of the beast's distraction to hook a grappling rope around it, while Batwoman uses some fire blast to push the beast back, and Batman attached the other end to his suit's belt, electrocuting the beast. "Bad mutant dog, play dead."

When Terry and Gwen emerges from the arena to hugged each other...

"Gwen!"

"Terry!"

They follow Ace to the ship's stern, where Boxer is dangling off a rail above the churning propellers, yelling for help.

"Help! Somebody, anybody, help!"

With Megan coming int to arrest the man and claim her bounty money.

"Welcome back, Ace." she said. "I got this one, you guys. I believe a certain someone's waiting for Ace to return to him..."

Terry, Gwen, and Ace return to Wayne Manor, where Ace runs gleefully into his waiting master's arms and kisses Gwen a lot too for her and Terry helped him out today.

"We miss you, boy." she said. "See, Uncle Bruce? We stop Boxer and got back Ace as promised. You're the best dog and friend ever, Ace."

Ace was happy to be home to getting back at the man who hurt the poor dog.

"Thank you both."

"You should thank Ace more on this one." said Terry.

True, for no more dog making them into monsters done by Boxer will be happening anymore or illegal games of dog fights for Ace is one heck of a dog on Batman and Batwoman's side. You got love having pets like them or cats, huh? They are the best...And I really hate people who treat animals badly, so don't be like what Boxer was.


	39. Return of the Joker

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 39 - Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker

A gang of Jokerz launch a raid on Gotham Shipping to steal a large piece of electronic technology with three forklifts. Another Jokerz gang here, I'll explain who the six of them are...

*Bonk 'Ben "Bonk" Knox' - In the normal time stream, Bonk was a hulking man with brute strength, but little finesse or judgment. He was strong enough to match Batman's enhanced strength, but neither quick enough nor smart enough to beat him in a fair fight.

*Chucko 'Charles Buntz' - Chucko was a nasty bullying type who truly enjoyed inflicting misery on others. A head enforcer for his Jokerz gang, he was a lot stronger and faster than his flabby gut would lead one to believe. True to his sadistic nature, Chucko's face was always hidden behind his mocking clown mask.

*Dee Dee (Dee 1) and Dee Dee (Dee 2) ' Delia Dennis and Deirdre Dennis' - The twins were Olympic-level gymnasts and experts at tumbling and hand-to-hand combat. They proved difficult for Batman to defeat in combat initially, due to their cooperation.

*Ghoul - Ghoul is not much of a physical fighter, virtually always being the easiest member of the gang Batman has beaten (usually with one punch). He does seem to have a vast knowledge of technology, as he was able to locate equipment for Joker's plan. With his upgrades in an alternate future, he was considerably much more of a threat although he was still brought down easily when confronted by the Justice League.

*Woof - Woof was a giggling criminal who was spliced with DNA from a hyena, and joined the gang of Jokerz led by the resurrected Joker. While most spliced individuals managed to keep their humanity intact, the effects on Woof were more extreme, and he had become nearly feral. He would often be paired with Ghoul, during various robberies committed at the request of their leader.

"Let's have some fun, people!" said Ghoul. "Come, Woof!"

"Right!" same with Chucko.

"Let's do this!" Bonk too.

"Lots to do tonight, huh Dee Dee?" one Dee said to her sister.

"The sooner, the better, Dee Dee." and the other one.

The robbery is interrupted by the arrival of Batman and Batwoman for her to start things off with some fireworks.

"Well, look at this Bats! Six trouble making Jokerz gang people are at it again for us to stop."

For her to show up for Gwen/Batwoman were ready...

"(We won't let any of you hurt the many lives.)" she said.

And so does Batman to show up out of the shadows.

"It's a school night, boys and girls. I'm gonna have to call your folks." he said.

A fight ensues, which turns into a pursuit in the skies of Gotham City. One of the forklifts the Jokerz are using to carry away the equipment, piloted by Bonk, takes off to fight Batman, leaving the equipment and the other craft to crash.

"Hey, the craft...!" Batwoman tires to slow it down from the fall. "So heavy..."

Batman overcomes Bonk and Batwoman stops Woof and Ghoul single handily, and Bonk craft crashes. The equipment crashes to the ground, but Chucko manages to retrieve its memory chip and escape with the others before the equipment explodes.

"(They got the memory chip of the thing!)" Gwen then asks her boyfriend a question. "(Now what?)"

Seeing the mess they made, the Jokerz need to be stopped.

"For one thing...this ain't coming out of my pay check." said Terry/Batman. "Either way, Gwen, we'll stop them."

For both Gwen and Terry are puzzled as to why the Jokerz would be stealing advanced technology. With Megan trying to get something from her computer on any clues.

"Relax, you two. I'm working..." she said. "Once we do find out more about these teen clowns, the better we can stop them and their leader, whoever it is. This might take a bit, Bruce."

Bruce Wayne theorizes that they're engaged in industrial espionage.

"They might be stealing it to selling it."

"Don't think that way, Bruce, that's not like you." Megan said while holding her husband. "No, it has to be something else."

Gwen wanted to know too as she tries everything to aid Megan.

"Don't think you're the only one with hacking skills, Megan, you taught me a lot." she said. "The least I can do is to help out."

Just then, Terry sees a news report that Wayne has announced his return to active leadership of Wayne Enterprises, to the disappointment of acting Operations Manager and rival-for-corporate-leadership Jordan Pryce.

"That guys seems to be full of himself..." Terry resolves to wait for the Jokerz to make their next move. "Still, I think this might lead us to something, Gwen."

To make their next move soon enough.

"Yeah, this is our only lead we got."

However, Terry does end up feeling the after-effects of a bite given to him by the spliced Jokerz member Woof in the earlier fight.

"Man, that hurt...It still won't stop us from dating." he said to grab hold of Gwen. "Let's hit the towns."

"Are you sure in that condition, Terry?" she worries.

He decides to go on his date with Gwen that evening to catch up with Dana and her friends, despite the fact that such an injury would be difficult to explain, and Bruce's advice that he get a good night's rest instead.

"Try to get some sleep when you can." Bruce tells Terry. "You'll need it. And Gwen, try to come back later, unless you're spending the night..."

The two blushed.

"Nice one, Bruce! It proves they love each other a lot." Megan makes a joke.

"Oh, Uncle Bruce...!" said the shy Gwen. "Please..."

Bruce then gives Terry something to have when needed, on two things.

"What's this?"

"I see you really love Gwen a lot, Terry. Try to take your time until she wants to and then...for protection for you both to put on and the pill." with Bruce telling Terry that to know what he was doing.

Talk about embarrassing but it was important.

"Okay, I get it!" Terry hides it. "I'll get more on my own next time. And yeah, I do love Gwen. A lot."

With the night for Terry and Gwen were having...some of the fun tonight, Terry is so tired that he not only falls asleep at the dance club but seems to be dozing through the dances, and even talks to the wrong girl by mistake.

"Sorry, Dana, a long night he had with Uncle Bruce." Gwen tries to explain. "(Talking to the other girl, he must be really tired.)"

Dana is initially annoyed but soon pulls Terry off the dance floor to sit down and talk over coffee instead.

"I'll help you out, Gwen, it's the least I can do. Keep lover boy close to you and not on another girl."

"Thanks, Dana, you're a good friend." Gwen smiled.

"Don't mentioned it." Dana gets Terry some coffee to have.

The Jokerz return to their lair, an abandoned candy factory. Chucko offers the memory chip, explaining that it was all he could get away with when Batman and Batwoman interfered. Their leader, hidden in the shadows, angrily smashes the chip with his fist and proceeds to berate them for their incompetence. Bonk is angered by this, and tells his fellow gang members that not only is their new leader is having them steal a lot of high tech equipment instead of money, but also that he never even explained to them what he planned to do with the components that they stole for them if he even had one.

"We're so sick and tired of this doing for you, man! Where's our fair share, huh?!" Bonk was mad. "It's all about the goods with no plan, is that is? Unless this guy really has one!"

This fact made the Jokerz think it over and then glare angrily at their leader. When Bonk shouts that he wants out, the leader responds by pulling a gun on Bonk. Terrified, Bonk takes back his statements, but the leader pulls the trigger ― and a comical 'BANG!' flag pops out. Bonk breathes a sigh of relief ― and the leader pulls the trigger again, shooting the flag into Bonk's chest like a dart, whereupon his bloodstream is quickly flooded with Joker venom. Wait, he's still alive?! Huh!? The leader steps out of the shadows, revealing himself to be the original Megan and Batman's old archenemy, the Joker.

"You know kids, a lot has changed while your old uncle Joker's been away. New Gotham, new rules...even a new Batman and Batwoman taking over. But now I'm tanned, I'm rested, and I'm ready to give this old town a wedgie again!" He now sports a skin-tight purple outfit, short green slicked-back hair, and is oddly lacking in eyebrows. The terrified remaining Jokerz swear their allegiance to him, and Ghoul begins searching the net for places to acquire a new piece of equipment while Dee Dee takes out the trash (by disposing of Bonk's eerily smiling corpse). "Bonk?" Joker checks to be killed thanks to him. "Oh, right. Dead."

Bruce, Gwen, Megan, and Terry arrive at an evening gala at which Bruce plans to inaugurate his return.

"You'll be fine." Megan kisses Bruce quickly to act like his friendly and tough bodyguard. "Okay, people! Step aside! Move it!"

Said speech is immediately interrupted by familiar hysterical laughter.

"Another one of the Jokerz members...?" questioned Gwen.

"(But not alone...)" Gwen's inner voice added.

The spliced half-hyena Jokerz member Woof then jumps into the crowd of spectators. Megan Tsuki steps in the play the bounty hunter hero with her powers to throw things at Woof.

"Get back, everybody!" she fights on. "Gwen, stay with Terry and Bruce to use a little of your fire powers carefully. Not to much since you two can't change into crime fighting duos yet..." with Megan saying that, she gets to work. "Bad, dog! Heel!"

During the distraction, Chucko and Ghoul break into the Wayne Enterprises lab downstairs and steal the desired technology, as well as gassing security. Up above, Bruce easily overcomes Woof with his cane to Megan's powers to hold and kick back.

"Not good...Trouble down below the Jokerz are hacking into the computer systems here!" Gwen said to checking it out. "(Time for Terry and I to get to work.)

After checking on Bruce, Terry and Gwen dash off to suit up.

"Let's go, Gwen!"

"Okay!" she transforms. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

For Batwoman to appear, it was show time.

"Time for round two against these loser clowns, Gweny!"

However, Wayne is then attacked by the newly arrived Dee Dee twins and is down on the ground when the Joker makes a dramatic entrance onto the stage, much to Bruce's shock and horror.

"Hello, Gotham! Joker's back in town!" he said with an evil laugh.

"It can't be...!"

Same with Megan to try to save her husband.

"Bruce! I got...!" she was shock to stop attacking to see an old enemy again. "(No...! This can't be...Joker?!)"

The now-costumed Terry and Gwen return but is occupied with Woof as Joker and Dee Dee board a hovercraft.

"Hold it, Bozo the Clown and gang!" shouted Batwoman to fire a warning shot. "I'll turn you all into a crisp!"

"It's good to see old Brucey again. Megs, love the look to look a little...out dated!" said the Joker. "And what do we have here...? The Batwoman with fire powers, this one I like. Ah, the new boy. Ears are too long and I miss the cape, but not too shabby. Not too shabby at all."

When Terry tries to pursue and Gwen, Joker detonates a series of explosives, causing further chaos. Batman, Batwoman, and Megan were forced to save civilians rather than pursue.

"I can't believe this...!" shock Megan.

"You two know this clown boss?" Gwen senses something wrong with Bruce and Megan. "(I never seen these two look so horrified of the man before, if so then we got a real big problem on our hands.)"

Good thing all of the people were saved, but another machine was stolen by Joker and the other five Jokerz members.

"So...Now what?" Batwoman asks.

On the way back to Wayne Manor, Bruce assures Terry and Gwen that saving the civilians was the right choice.

"You two did the right thing."

"Yeah, but with the Jokerz still causing trouble, Uncle Bruce, Terry and I can't stop them or the boss himself." said Gwen.

"No kidding..."

"Megan?" Gwen sees if Megan was fine.

"I don't want to talk about it!"

Something big must've happened to make Megan freak out this much worse than before since Joker's back. Terry muses aloud that the Joker seemed pretty vigorous for a man who should be in his mid-80's.

"If your old enemy is back, how is this Joker alive. Robot? Clone? Alien? Mutant?" he asked.

"I can even feel anything from the clown no matter what I try..." Gwen got nothing. "Sorry, Terry."

When Terry tries to get some feedback speculation on the suspect (Clone? Robot? Suspended animation?), a grim-faced Bruce simply orders him to carry on driving.

"Shut up and drive."

"Yes, sir." Terry keeps on driving.

In another part of Gotham, the now middle-aged Tim Drake sees a news report on the Joker's re-appearance and is horrified. Something must've happened to him a while back with Joker too, but what...? Undaunted by Bruce's aloofness, Megan tells the two who to ask more than him or her.

"You guys want some answers about Joker...? Go to Barbara, she'll tell you everything no matter how many times you ask of her."

And with that, Gwen and Terry try talking to Commissioner Barbara Gordon for information and receives much the same reply from her: it isn't his business and that if Bruce ordered him to drop it, he shouldn't concern himself with it.

"What can you tell us about clowns?" Terry asked.

"In this town, they're never funny." Barbara meant business.

So much for getting some answers...

"Sorry to bother you, Barbara." Gwen said. "I just want to say that we had to come here...Uncle Bruce won't say anything, and neither will Megan. And I never seen those two scared of anyone or anything before until last night. But please tell us everything if you do know. Thanks."

Barbara does say this part for Gwen to hear only.

"I'll think about it."

As Terry and Gwen leave, they pass by Drake, who has his own appointment with Barbara.

"(Hmm...Another familiar feeling from Bruce, Megan, and Barbara's past, huh?)" Gwen's inner said to the real one. "(I wonder who could this one be?)"

In the Batcave, Bruce runs a voice comparison between the Joker at the ceremony and his old recordings: They are identical.

"You got anything, Megan?" he asks his wife.

Trying to hack a bit further to get the same as Bruce did to be harder to go through it over and over again.

"Ah! What does it look like, Bruce? I got nothing!" she was mad. "This never happened to me before! I get things right to solving it, but not this one..." Megan looks at Ace. "And it's not because I'm old, okay?!"

"Calm down." Bruce holds Megan's hand.

"Sorry, it just...I'm more worried about Terry and Gwen's safeties more than having our old enemy back in Gotham."

Terry and Gwen both returned and Terry realizes that the Joker, whom Bruce never mentioned once, must have been the greatest ever of Bruce's old foes and even Megan's.

"It wasn't a popular contest."

"Uncle Bruce, was he insane to hurt others for no reason?" Gwen asked.

"Something like that." he answers back.

"More than you know, Gwen..." so did Megan. "I was kidnapped a lot to be fish food, gassed, thrown off, almost killed, to be fish bait, shot at, and...Well, shot at again that almost coast me my life."

What did happen to Megan to make her scared of Joker? Then Terry asks how it's possible that Joker could still be alive, and Bruce says it's impossible: The Joker died years ago, and Bruce watched it happen.

"But how's this possible?" Terry asked.

"It's not...he died years ago." Bruce tells them. "Megan and I, we were both there to see it all."

Terry concludes that Joker was planning a crime so heinous that Bruce had no choice but to kill him.

"If he's really dead, then that means..." Gwen gets it. "You didn't...Uncle Bruce?"

"You killed him." Terry added. "You and Megan saw Joker doing something so bad, you ha no other choice but to stop him."

Even Gwen's other self didn't think so either.

"(Dang, man!)"

"Well, what do you guys think?! We had no choice!" Megan only said that part and leaves it be. "Sorry..."

Bruce does not give an explanation but tells Terry that he wants him to hand in the Batsuit, reasoning that since Terry avenged his father's death, he has no need to continue wearing the cowl. Same with Gwen to turn in her Batwoman suit to be no more without it.

"Terry. Gwen. I want for you two to turn in you Bat suits."

"Why?" the two asked.

"There's no reason to be Batman and Batwoman anymore since it was for revenge. One to set free, while the other to get back from those who killed your father." he tells them. Bruce thanks Terry for upholding the reputation of Batman, but declares that he was wrong to 'force this life' upon Terry. And for Gwen to be free now from now as Powers' living weapons to be used on.

"Uncle Bruce, you're hiding something to keep us out, aren't you? Don't do this to us..." Gwen begs of Bruce.

He takes Gen's suit out of her hands.

"I have to." he said.

"Megan! Say something..."

"For once, Gwen, I have to agree with him." she stays out of it to stand by Ace's side. "It's for the best."

Gwen lost her suit now, but Terry refuses to give up the suit, saying that fighting crime as Batman is what makes him a worthwhile person, after so many years as an irresponsible, lawless teenager.

"Gwen...!" he say something. Hey, I was the one who broke in and swiped the suit, remember? Yes, there was my dad's murder, but we come from two different worlds, Mr. Wayne. I wasn't like you, or the kids you took in. I was a pretty kid once, ran with a rough crowd, broke a lot of laws to say nothing to my folks' hearts. The kind of punk you wouldn't have wasted a second punch on back in the day."

"Your point?" Bruce questions Terry.

"I'm trying to make up for past sins and protecting the woman I love to live a normal life. The state says my three months in juvie wiped me clean, but my soul tells me different. Every time I put on that suit, it's my chance to help people who are in trouble, I guess on a personal level. It's a chance to look like a worthwhile human being again, in my eyes, if no one else's. It's what I want, Bruce."

Bruce listens quietly, but turns away, calling Terry a 'stupid kid' and claims that he doesn't know what he wants, much like his previous sidekicks.

"Stupid kid. You don't know what you want. None of you or Gwen ever did."

A stunned and angered Terry retorts by throwing the Batsuit at Bruce's feet and leaving.

"Why, Uncle Bruce?" Gwen leaves in tears to catch up to her boyfriend. "(Me without the other me coming out...but my powers to control...) Terry, wait!"

It was hard for Ace to see them leave and Bruce to do the right thing for Megan to support on her husband to make a hard decision.

"Bruce, you had to do it."

With Terry back to his house, to not be alone since Gwen ran off to check on her boyfriend to be gone for a bit. Trying to fly around town carefully without getting caught, she finds his place to hang out with him.

"Gwen?" Terry was surprised to see her. "You followed me?"

"Sorry! I know. I should've stayed, but I needed Bruce and Megan to have time for themselves and us to lose the job...This is bad. I want to do more, but we can't!"

Almost burning the carpets to stop to put it out herself, this was going to be rough for the two of them.

"Hey, I get it. It's okay." he said. "I'm glad you're here. Make yourself at home."

Gwen does to sleep in the spare bedroom in the house.

"Thanks, I'll unpack and check out with you for a bit before I got to bed." said Gwen. "At least we have each other-!"

But Terry stops Gwen from going anywhere to hold her in his arms.

"Wait."

"What's wrong, Terry?" she was confused.

"Please...Sleep with me tonight, Gwen."

He was serious about it.

"Sleep with you...?"

"It'll be fine...I got you and I won't let you go, Gwen. I love you so much." Terry means it. "I'll be gentle..."

Gwen allows it for her and Terry to get to bed together to have a full night of making out and such, even with protected sex to not let something happen by accident.

"Oh, Terry...Yes, take me. I love you so much." Gwen means a lot.

They hugged, kissed, stayed that way for a long night to have their moment of love to feel special for them to fall asleep and to have their first...safe type of sex feeling ever 'thanks to Bruce lending Terry a condom' and pills for Gwen to take just in case. Ha! Well, they enjoy to wake up the next morning for Terry's mother and Matt were awake to get Terry to come out of bed.

"Terry, time for breakfast!"

"Yeah, get up already!" said Matt.

The two got up to be in bed and...how odd to be in this type of feeling.

"Oh, no! I didn't tell your mother or brother I was coming over!" Gwen felt bad. "Now what?"

Terry thought about something.

"Go get clean up in the bathroom while I keep them business, Gwen, then sneak from the window to come in the front." he tells her. "Hurry, to make it look like you want to spend the night once my Mom knows."

With Terry coming out first, Gwen goes to d that carefully and in time without any of the two seeing her.

"Thanks, Terry, I'll be seeing you in a bit. (That was still wonderful...)"

Winking, it was a close call to make their night worth it...Gwen does it to make it around front to have breakfast with Terry there as he looks like he got up on his own.

"What a woman..." said the happy Terry.

Right from there, Terry is having breakfast and reveals to his mother and Matt that he is no longer working for Mr. Wayne. And then Gwen knocks on the door for Terry's mother allowed her in.

"Well, hello Gwen. Come right in. I hope you're hungry for breakfast."

"If you're inviting me to join you this morning, thank you, Ms. McGinnis." she joins with Terry. "Morning, Terry."

"Morning to you too."

What a close call...Later on that night, Dana, Chelsea, and Blade attend a club to have a girls' night out, for Terry to them and leads Gwen to dance, much for the other girls to try hooking up with other guys...

"Hey, Dana, are you coming?" Chelsea asks her friend.

"I'll catch up. I want to see how Terry and Gwen are holding up from working so much.""

She was staying put while the others have a good time.

"Then do it soon." Blade tells Dana.

A nice night to get out and a nice way for Terry and Gwen to show their love.

"Feeling well?"

"The medicine I take helps out thanks to Megan. It helps my powers and protection. I'm fine." Gwen said while dancing. "Right now, I just want to be with you more tonight and our friends. Teen can do this if they play it safe, so it's fine with us."

"Yeah, it'll be between you and me." Terry said. "I think a little off will happen. Let just give Bruce some time. He'll come back."

"Okay."

However, as Terry and Gwen are dancing, they are approached by two girls who drag Terry away from Gwen and while they distract him, to make her get upset.

"Coming through." one girl said.

"Excuse us." and the other.

"Hey!" Gwen got mad.

"Oh, no!" Dana helps her friend out. "If anyone's getting to Terry it's either Gwen or me!"

Ghoul suddenly appears and kidnaps Dana as Terry breaks away from the girls and begins to search for Dana.

"(Where did she go...?)" Gwen loses her friend. "Dana...? Terry, something happen to Dana!"

Unknown to Terry or Gwen, that the two girls are actually Dee Dee in disguise and begin to follow them.

"Dana's missing?" Terry joins with Gwen.

At the same time, Bruce is in the Batcave where he is creating the antidote to Joker venom, suddenly Ace begins to bark which makes Bruce realize that a stranger has entered the Manor. With Megan getting her powers, baton, and guns ready, she goes upstairs.

"Ace, I'll be behind you. Bruce, stay put."

Ace rushes out of the cave to confront the intruder, but becomes hurt. Bruce is concerned for Ace, and goes to check on him but a gas bomb appears just as Bruce is hiding the antidote. Just then, Bruce hears a thud of Megan getting hurt...Enough for Bruce to find Megan getting stabbed to be bleeding on the ground and wasn't moving.

"Megan...! Megan!" Bruce was horrified to see his wife get hurt.

The Joker appears before him and begins to attack Bruce. Megan sees the horror to be unable to do anything, but to watch the horrors.

"Bruce...!" she goes out cold.

Back at the nightclub, Terry and Gwen were still searching for Dana when Terry's attacked by the Jokerz for both Gwen and her other self to warn him.

"(Kid! Behind you!)"

Chucko doesn't know why they've been sent to attack an apparent nobody, but as long as they have fun with it, they don't mind.

"I don't why the Boss wants you two out of the way...Oh well, as long as it's fun."

"No!" Gwen uses some of her fire to save Terry's life to fight back.

As Terry fights them off, Dana breaks free from Ghoul for Gwen to help her out and calls out to Terry for help as Ghoul recaptures her.

"Move over, babe!" Ghoul shoves Gwen aside.

"Leave our friend alone!"

Terry fights his way to Dana and Gwen tries to rescue her alone, but Ghoul throws her aside and as Terry rescues her she falls unconscious.

"Dana...!" Terry got worried. "Gwen, help me take her to the hospital."

Terry manages to send the Jokerz running and Gwen to start off some small sparks, but Dana is sent off the hospital as she became injured during the fight.

"I got her!" Chelsea helps out.

Gwen was very worried of her friend to be in this condition to get better soon thanks to Chelsea and Blade helping out.

"(Hang on, Dana...Terry and I are here for you, my friend.)" Gwen hopes that Dana will get well. "(Hang on for us.)"

Realizing that the Jokerz' boss must know his and Gwen's secret identities, Terry calls Bruce in an attempt to get answers.

"I can't get a hold of Bruce." he said.

"I can't get anything from Megan either." Gwen tells her boyfriend. "It's been cut off completely."

However, when Terry gets Bruce's answering machine, Gwen and Terry rush to Wayne Manor, realizing that Bruce not picking up at night meant something bad must have happened.

"(Those darn Jokerz are behind it all! Gwen's back to the big house now!)" said Gwen's inner self. "(They might be in danger like Dana was!)"

"Uncle Bruce! Megan! Ace!"

Terry and Gwen both arrived at the Manor and sees that it has been badly vandalized. They find a hurt Ace near the entrance to the Batcave.

"Ace!" Gwen rushes to Ace's side. "Oh, you poor dog."

In a hurry, Gwen and Terry entered the Batcave to find the words 'Ha! Ha! Ha!' scribbled across the floor of the Batcave in red, mirroring how his father's place looked when he was seemingly killed by Jokerz. Along with Megan on the floor to be bleeding out while out to hold on from the blood to come out fast.

"Megan!" Terry tries to help her out. "Gwen, can you close the wounds?"

She does it to save Megan's life in time.

"She'll be fine, but she's weak." she said. "We still got to get Megan to a hospital...Wait!" Gwen sense something must've happened to Bruce. "Uncle Bruce...! Where is he?!"

Horrified, Terry immediately runs down the stairs with Gwen after helping out Megan to find Bruce slumped against the computer, slowly laughing himself to death from Joker venom.

"Tube...Under...the table..."

Bruce manages to direct Terry to an overlooked vial of anti-venom lying under the chem table. Gwen helps him out.

"Terry, use it!" she said.

Terry grabs it and injects Bruce, whose rictus grin relaxes as the exhausted man falls unconscious.

"Call 911." Terry tells Gwen.

Unsure of who else to turn to, Terry calls Barbara in for help and Gwen wanted in too. After she ministers to a shallowly breathing Bruce and Megan 'to get more blood in her to take time to heal' and Terry checks on Ace, Terry demands answers as he is a part of this conflict and therefore deserves them.

"(What an ordeal...)"

"We know." Gwen tells her other self. "Megan's lucky to be alive to get more blood into her, Bruce needs to rest like Dana, and Ace wasn't hurt at all." she tells Barbara about the mess. "Please, Barbara...If you know what's going on, just tell us already."

They must know what Joker wanted and what he did before the real one was killed, all of it...

"We're part of this, Barbara. Please tell us."

Once Terry said that, she tells them everything...

"Very well." she begins.

Barbara reluctantly gives in and admitting that time has not made relating it any easier, tells Terry and Gwen the true story 'pay attention here, it's important':

Some forty years earlier, after Bruce's old ward and partner, Dick Grayson, had left to establish himself in another city as Nightwing 'to know about his future right now', leaving the second Robin and Dick's successor, Tim Drake, is kidnapped by Harley Quinn and the Joker while he was out patrolling alone.

"Harley...?" surprise Robin to go out cold from Harley's hammer.

"Got him, pudding!"

Joker appears to be laughing for him and Harley have plans to use on Tim Drake/Robin. Plans like what...? After three weeks of unsuccessful searching, Joker sends Batman, Megan, and Batgirl a clue that leads them to the place where Tim is being held: the original Arkham Asylum (the old building had been partially demolished and the asylum had been moved to a newer high security building).

"In here..." Megan tells the two where to go to next.

Upon their arrival, the Joker explains that he and Harley were 'getting on' in years as they realize that none of them are getting younger, and it is time to think about a family. They did not want to go through the joy of childbirth and couldn't legally adopt. But since Batman 'always had a few spare kids' tagging along, the Joker had 'borrowed' one of them.

"We remember you had some spare kids spraining around, so...we borrowed one." Joker shows the two.

He then reveals Tim, who has been brainwashed and disfigured into a miniature version of himself to make him their own son, dubbing him as 'Joker Jr.', much to Batman, Megan, and Batgirl's horror.

"No..." Megan sees that Tim was really out of it. "Joker...! Harley...! What the heck did you two do to him!?"

Joker takes off with Batman and Megan in pursuit, while Barbara fights Harley through the ruins of Arkham.

"Megan!"

"Right behind you, Batman!" Megan follows her man.

In the fight, they both end up getting blown over a cliff, with Batgirl catching onto a ledge, and with her other hand, having snagged Harley by the cuff of her sleeve. With all her might Batgirl attempts to pull Harley up so she can also grab onto the ledge, but the cuff tears from Harley's weight; she falls, screaming, and vanishes into the dark pit far below. Was she dead...?

"Why, Harley...?" Batgirl questions herself. "Why you go so far with Joker?"

Arriving in the asylum's old operating theater, which Joker has converted into a cinema, Batman and Megan see 'home movies' of how Joker tortured and brainwashed Tim.

"Oh, my...God...!" Megan was horrified to cover her face next to Batman.

From his hiding place, Joker narrates the story, saying that Tim held out for a long time but finally broke down and revealed all of Batman's secrets, to also love Megan to be two different people, and delivers the final bombshell by calling Batman 'Bruce', mocking the revelation of Batman's true identity by dismissing him as nothing more than a scared child in a play suit crying out for his parents.

"What's the matter, Batman? No witty comeback? No threat? Then I'll provide the narration. I'll begin with how I peeled back the layers of the boy's mind. Oh, he bravely fought it at first. You would have been so proud to see him so strong. But all too soon, the serums and the shocks took their toll, and the dear lad began to share such secrets with me. Secrets that are mine alone to know...Bruce. It's true, Batsy. I know everything. About you and Megs love to already be married. And kinda like the kid who peeks at his Christmas presents, I must admit, it's sadly anti-climactic. Behind all the strum and Batarangs, you're just a little boy in a play suit crying for mommy and daddy. It'd be funny if it weren't so pathetic...Oh, what the heck? I'll laugh anyway."

Now this was personal, even for Megan...

"Joker...! Hey, Bruce...KILL THAT SON OF A GUN!"

Finding his hiding place, Megan fires some gun shots at the glass, as Batman engages Joker in a brutal fight and is ready to kill him but Joker manages to get the upper hand, disabling Bruce with a knife in his leg.

"Oh, right...I forgot about your wife...Too!" Joker stabs Megan straight through her hand.

"AH!"

"Megan!" Batman panics.

As Bruce lies helpless and Megan couldn't move her hand to get her gun, Joker tosses a gun to Tim, telling him to 'deliver the punchline' and finish Batman first.

"Stop, Tim! You don't have to do this! Remember who you are...!" Megan tries to talk to her young friend to be breaking into tears. "Stop it!"

Batman softly calls Tim's name, and his young partner hesitates.

"Tim..."

After a moment of warring with himself while laughing, Tim shoots Joker fatally, Joker's last words being...

"That's not funny...that's not..." Joker gasps before he stops breathing and dies.

"Joker's dead...!" shock Megan. "Tim's back."

As Barbara runs in, Tim suffers a complete nervous breakdown, drops to his knees and begins to cry.

"It's okay, Tim." Barbara/Batgirl was there for him. "It's okay."

Batman limps over with Megan helping him out, as Barbara gathers Tim into her arms to comfort him. And what happened next? Barbara tells Terry and Gwen the rest about it...Bruce, Megan, and Barbara bury the Joker deep under Arkham and take Tim to Leslie Thompkins, who helps him back to sanity over the course of the next year. The only other people who know what happened are James Gordon, Barbara's father and the original Police Commissioner who helped cover the incident up for the sake of his friendship with Batman and Megan Tsuki. Barbara sadly notes that with his final act of cruelty, Joker had in many ways gotten the last laugh after all—and the physical and mental wounds from that time have never completely healed.

"(Now it all makes sense, that's why Bruce nor Megan didn't say anything.)"

Gwen gets it now since her other self does.

"They weren't letting Terry or me stop being Batman and Batwoman to not stop their enemy, they were worried we would become like Tim almost did..." she remembers about Tim Drake. "(He's the one who when into Barbara's office the other day!)"

Terry asks what happened to Harley; Barbara tells him that they never found her body, but even if she did survive, it's doubtful she'd be stirring up trouble after all these years.

"Without Joker around..."

"She was nothing." Terry finished for Barbara. "Love can make you do weird things on certain people."

Barbara also reveals that after Tim recovered, Bruce forbade him from ever being Robin again, blaming himself for what happened and swore that he would never endanger another young partner. Tim soon left after this, choosing to make it on his own. He tried reconnecting with his mentor once or twice, 'but you know Bruce', Barbara notes as Terry can't help but wryly smile. As for Barbara 'and sometimes Megan', she checks up on him now and again: Tim eventually married, fathered two children, and restarted his career as a top level communications engineer.

"Between Megan and me always want to see how Tim's holding up, Bruce's wife always tells him the good news everyday." she said. "He's better than he ever was before."

Terry feels sorry for Tim after hearing the torture that he went through and believes he deserves a happy ending, but says Tim is still the most likely connection to the now-returned Joker.

"In any case, Gwen, we should go check on Tim." said Terry.

Good idea, for Megan left them the Bat suits to put back on.

"In any case, Terry, let's go ask him a few questions..." Gwen was in transforming next. "Barbara, we'll sole this problem to stop Joker and the Jokerz gang once and for all. Burning passion. Batwoman!"

As Batman and Batwoman, they go to questioned Drake.

You two might as well show yourselves, I heard you both coming a mile away."

Wow...Tim still had it for Batwoman and Batman de-cloaks.

"How did you know, old man?" ask Batwoman.

"I'm no Boy Wonder anymore, but that old training never goes away, even at my age."

For Tim to hang in there, and who denies any involvement and expresses resentment about his past life as Robin: all of them ― Megan, Barbara, Dick, and himself ― gave it everything they had, but it was never enough for Bruce's impossible standards.

"(We know it's been hard, you can at least say hide to Uncle Bruce in person.)" Gwen tells Tim.

"Any regrets, Mr. Drake?" Batman asks Tim.

For Tim to even had a vain hope that one day he would succeed Bruce as Batman, but eventually grew sick of his life to the point that he detests even looking at his old Robin suit. Soon for Batman to disappear, so does Batwoman to take off.

"Thanks for the tip, buck-o, we'll take it from here. And you take it easy."

Looks like the mystery must still be solved.

"I wish I knew what it meant again..." he said to him.

Finding Drake a dead-end, Terry and Gwen then suspect Jordan Pryce.

"(Yeah, you know what...? I think Pryce might know something about Joker...Here's the thing, Terry, I don't think he is.)"

"What makes you so sure?" Terry/Batman asks her.

"(It's not that I know for sure, yet...but I know he has something to do to make it big than Uncle Bruce to tip off the Jokerz. That's what Megan would know about it. But still, it won't hurt to check it out.)" she said. "(I know where he might be.)"

And go there right away to see for themselves.

"Man, I love when you think, babe."

However, Terry and Gwen find both Pryce and the Jokerz on the Wayne Enterprises yacht and proceeds to eavesdrop.

"Ha! Look at that, Bats!" Batwoman rubs it in her partner's face. "We knew this Pryce guy wasn't Joker!"

After the Jokerz try to kill Pryce,they rescue the man before a giant laser beam from a satellite destroys the ship.

"A giant laser?!" surprised Pryce.

Gwen senses danger coming in.

"(Incoming!)"

Although Pryce is not the Joker, Batman plays a recording of the conversation between Pryce and the Jokerz for two police officers nearby, revealing that Pryce has been helping the Jokerz steal the technology in exchange for them trying to kill Wayne for Gwen was right all along. Pryce is then arrested from one of Megan's students, a good bounty price on his head. One thing gets worse, Gwen gets soaked with ice water to weaken her, allowing all five members of Jokerz to kidnap her for Batman couldn't save his girl and hold on to Pryce's dear life.

"Gwen!" he was mad. "Let her go!"

"Can't move...! So cold...!" Batwoman was out for the count.

"(No!)" Gwen was being taken away. "(Batman! Uncle Bruce! Barbara! Megan! Ace! Help me!)"

This was really bad here...With the cps taking care of Pryce and Barbara, he needed to know where they would've taken Gwen to by any means by using her gadgets on what Megan made for her.

"(I'll save you, Gwen.)"

Elsewhere, at Joker's hideout to do something that he made on a man bum to inject into him to become a monster to work to making him fall down to his doom to use on Gwen next.

"Another member is a girl, Dee Dee."

"This should be very fun, Dee Dee."

Woof finds Gwen hot to know she's Batwoman, same with Chucko and Ghoul.

"So why have the hot Bat with us, Boss?" Chucko asked.

"Like that Bozo was tested out on a new serum. I had a main squeeze girl once, but I never saw her again..." he looked sad to be crazy again. "Nah, must be old and half dead by now. So it may me next of having a new Harley Quinn member on my team. As cute as Gwen Grayson's powers are...I love her fiery passion more to use against the Bats than to be my girlfriend, just in case I become deep fried clown. Ha! So with this, she'll not only be stronger, faster, crazier...! But also smiling with laughter's of joy. I can handle her."

For them to allow Joker to do whatever he wants without getting killed like Bonk did.

"Sure thing, Boss, whatever you say." said Ghoul. "Make this lovely lady your own Harley Quinn version.

"Good..." Joker injects it into Gwen's body. "Unlike with Batman's younger Robin, this one will only take a second to take affect. Get ready for the next thing, kiddies, it's almost show time."

As the five got ready for Joker to prepare for another event form his machine, Gwen wasn't feeling wel well to start to act weird before Dee Dee twins can give her a makeover next. Hang in there...! Terry returns to the Batcave, frustrated with his inability to solve the case and without Gwen's help, it'll be even harder to do.

"Ace, this is going to be harder than it looks..."

As he muses aloud to Ace, Bruce appears in his bathrobe, having partially recovered from the toxin.

"Have you try solving things on your own?" Bruce questions Terry while patting Ace.

He confesses that this is why he didn't want Terry or Gwen going up against the Joker, impostor or not, fearful that something similar would happen to him as it did with Tim all those years ago. Even to Megan, for she survives both cuts by Joker now, she comes back down to feel a bit better so far.

"If you're going to stop Joker and save Gwen's life, I'm in. You'll need a hacker."

"Welcome back, Megan." Terry was happy to see her again.

"Look, Bruce, I get it. You did them a favor, they knew, and now we put this mess behind us and find some clues to get to Joker's whereabouts and fast." Megan tells the boys to get to work.

Looking around the Batcave, Terry notices something odd: even though Joker smashed the costume displays, only the Robin costume was deliberately damaged during his attack.

"He smashed it because the old Robin did shoot him." Bruce said.

"A ghost fore revenge?" Terry didn't think so. "Gwen said that she wants Tim to talk to you on his own to have not the love he use to be Robin then stopping criminals-!" Remembering Tim's resentment, Terry deduces that he may be behind this new Joker.

"Wait..." Megan gets it. "Tim has been acting a bit different this week before...Don't tell me! I also know why Joker wants from Gwen...Another Harley Quinn, his version of nightmares."

"You maybe right, Megan." shock Terry.

"Am I not?"

Bruce is hesitant to consider Tim a suspect again, but Terry shows him on the Batcomputer how the stolen technology components, when utilized by a communications expert like Tim, could form a transmitter allowing him to hijack a military defense satellite — the same kind that destroyed the yacht.

"If it's true, then the laser must be shooting off somewhere nearby to let it go off from the skies in seconds." Bruce thought about it too.

Somewhat chipper at the promise of a new lead, Bruce orders Terry to go after Tim and begins typing away at the computer. Terry remarks that he would also like to bring Ace along this time.

"He's not the only one going..." Megan uses a machine robot she made to control to aid the two. "I can't go until I have the energy back into me, but my hacking hand control robot can. Terry. Ace. Bruce. Let's put an end to this nightmare and rescue Gwen."

Batman was back in action long with Ace and Megan with Bruce backing him up.

"Now we're talking!"

Terry tries to confront Tim at his job site, but discovers that he's been tricked by a hologram.

"Terry! Get out of there...!" Megan tries to warn him from the robot. "And it's too late..."

Laser traps seal him in and motion-detecting blasters are mounted on the walls. Joker appears on a video screen, revealing that Tim has indeed joined forces with him. With his help, the Joker has taken control of an Hyperion class defense satellite, which he intends to use to bring Gotham under his control.

"You're welcome to try and stop us, but—heh-heh—I'm not taking bets on that happening anytime soon. Toodle!" he had one more person to go stop Batman. "Oh, honey...clean up time!"

And out of the shadows to be using some fire power to be laughing, out of control, and out of it...Gwen herself to be look and dress like Harley Quinn to kill Batman.

"Gwen?!"

Losing it, she chasing after Batman for the lasers to help her out. The robot couldn't hold Gwen back 'under Megan's control', she she gets to hacking them all to destroying it.

"Batman, try talking to Gwen, she's in there! She has powers differently like mine to sense things out!" she gets to work! "Hurry and be careful!"

Terry manages to escape the booby traps set at Tim's lab and takes off in the Batmobile, being chased through Gotham by another giant laser beam. For Megan's robot has got Terry covered, the wild mind controlled Gwen chases after Batman to be insane laugh to not stop to use her special hammer to kill him. Ace bites down on Gwen to snap her out of it, only to get burned a bit to stay strong.

"If you don't get her out, Terry, Gwen will be gone for good!" Bruce tells him.

"Now you tell me?!" Fighting it off in the Batmoblie was hard to do against the strong Gwen for Terry/Batman. "Gwen! Stop this! It's me, your lover Terry! Batman...Remember?"

Joker was way ahead of Terry and Gwen wasn't listening to still be out of her mind.

"Aren't you the nasty tattle-tale? And hurting my new Harley, come on..." he said. "Ratting me out before I have my fun! Papa spank!"

Batman tracks the Joker to the abandoned Jolly Jack Candy Factory. He is attacked by the Jokerz to join with the ind controlled Gwen, but fights them off easily. One exception is Woof, but this time, Terry has brought along an equalizer, and Woof discovers that an encounter with Ace is a rather painful experience. Nice one! For Megan uses her robot to stop the weapons from Ghoul, Chucko, and the two Dees to be over and done with for Batman to stop the rest, but Gwen to try killing Batman with a knife.

"Ace, stay back!" he tells the dog. "I will save you, Gwen!" Batman uses some foam to cool off the fire to weaken Gwen to have her other self kick in to clear out the venom.

"(Hey, Gweny! Get your stupid head together! Terry's trying to save your sorry butt while Joker's making you into his own sick puppet! Get up!)"

Working so far, Megan had handcuffs of fire proof to hold her down.

"Do it!" she said.

Terry pins Gwen down to help her fight back.

"Gwen! I know you can hear me! Remember the nice we dance? The friends we hang out with? Megan, Ace, Bruce, Barbara, and Dana who help you get through the day, and me! The night we have to show our feelings with one another to control your powers to be yourself while the other half backs you up, you can still do this. Don't become another Harley to this old Joker! We can stop this, but I need your help...Please, Gwen you mean a lot to me...I love you."

Kissing her on the the lips, to feel a spark and warm feeling to have Gwen to back to normal self and the anti-venom by Joker was into her to never take affect ever again.

"Terry..." she kisses him back. "Thank you. Ah, man...Bite marks and shots..." Gwen hugs Ace. "I don't blame you, boys, thank you too."

Megan and Bruce were happy to hold and kiss each other too to have Gwen back.

"It worked!"

"Easy there, Megan." Bruce smile. "Save your energy on the robot."

"Yeah, I know..." she does so carefully.

She gets back to work while Gwen tries to recover to be Batwoman in a bit, without the mask part to have on to not take full transforming right now.

"I'm glad I'm not in Joker's puppet anymore, I almost lost myself. Listen, Terry, I know what's going on." she leads Terry/Batman the way inside Joker's hideout. "But you have to trust me if you want to stop all of this. Megan, if you an hear me...hack through the main frame of the computer system while I do the rest from the inside. Ace, you guard her machine while Terry and I go on in to see Tim."

Ace understood to wait for them and on guard, while Megan handles the rest by hand.

"Give Joker heck for me, you two." Megan tells them.

Inside the factory, Terry and Gwen find an unconscious Drake.

"Get up, Drake." Batman helps him out.

"Where's Joker?" Gwen asks him.

Awakening, Drake appears to be re-living the trauma of his kidnapping and how he killed Joker.

"I...I don't know where he's gone too..."

Bruce, able to hear and see what's going on via the suit's visor and mic, is visibly saddened by Tim's words.

"He's telling the truth." Bruce tells them.

Terry is also concerned, but then Drake calls him 'Terry' and turns on him, disabling him with an electrical device.

"(No...!)" Gwen knew she feels out Tim had part of Joker still because he was the old Joker. "Terry! He knows who we are-!"

With Batman down, Gwen was grabbed hold by Tim 'or seems to be the real him right ' to be grabbed by the hair. To his, Gwen, Megan, and Bruce's horror, Drake then bursts into hysterical laughter, and transforms into the Joker.

"My God...!" shock Bruce.

"So that's how he did it." same with Megan.

"Drake...?" and Terry.

"I knew something was wrong with Tim!" Gwen couldn't break free. "Terry! I can't transform or Joker will kill you...!"

The Joker reveals the truth behind his resurrection: using genetics technology that he stole years ago, he copied his consciousness and DNA onto a microchip and planted it onto the back of Tim's neck while Tim was his prisoner. To the casual observer, it looks like an innocuous mole. This allowed him to live on after death, hidden away in Tim's mind through the chip. He had to remain dormant inside Tim's brain for most of the past decades, but has been gradually getting stronger. Whenever the chip takes control of Tim, he transforms into the Joker, Tim attributing any residual memories of his actions in this form to nightmares. Joker then demonstrates that he can use Tim's voice to lie to his family should they grow worried. Soon, the Joker intends to take complete control of Tim's body.

"Mr. J's on the rebound, baby! My comeback party's gonna set the whole town on fire!" said the mad clown. "My fire, not yours, Gweny. Sorry, but it was fun setting off some fireworks while it last to put the rest of it out now."

Using Gwen as a hostage, she and Terry/Batman were in danger and Megan couldn't do nothing but to hack through allowing Gwen to do the rest if she can.

"You won't get away with this, Joker!"

"But I just did, see?" The Joker prepares a satellite strike on Gotham, explaining that he plans to begin with either Wayne Manor, the hospital Dana is being treated at, or Terry's house (by way of carving a smiley face on the city with the satellite's cannon), in order to crush Terry's spirit. "Adios, Brucie and Megs. I guess I should salute the both of you as a worthy adversary and all that, but the truth is, I really did hate your guts and love." he blows a raspberry. "Got any last words, crime fighting losers?"

Terry had one for Gwen sees him having a plan...

"Yeah, sic him!"

But before he can fire, Terry sics Ace on him and has the dog's powerful jaws destroy the electrical device and Megan to do the same to hack through it.

"In your face!" said the happy Megan to hack through Batman's suit. "Go, Terry!"

Ace runs for the Joker again to rescue Gwen next, but is fended off by his signature joy buzzer.

"No!" she tries to defend her dog friend. "Don't you hurt him!"

"I'll turn him to a hot dog when I'm done...!"

Before Joker can finish off the weakened Ace and try to kill Gwen for it, Terry tackles him to the ground; the joy buzzer flies from his finger across the room to activate alongside a large bundle of cables for the satellite's guidance system, shorting them out even from Megan's doing, and Gwen doing the rest.

"(Hey, Gweny!)" her inner self said.

"I'm trying!" Gwen doesn't give up.

This causes the damaged system to turn the beam on and send it directly towards itself inside the factory. The Joker declares the game over for the time being and attempts to escape, but Terry seals the factory.

"We're taking you in!" Batman said. "Gwen, you can do it. You need to take control to slow down the laser until we stop this!"

They face off in a final confrontation. This incarnation of the Joker is a much tougher physical combatant than his old self and soon shows himself to be more than a match for the young Batman, as having access to Tim's memories gives him knowledge of Batman and Robin's skills.

"You're out of your league, McGinnis. I doubt Gweny will stand a chance either." said Joker. "I know every trick the original Batman and Robin knew at their peak."

"Maybe, but you don't know a thing about me or Gwen." he said.

Not knowing from Gwen's skills, he could tell from the fire powers and some of Batgirl's move was the same to some hacking skills from Megan to get it.

"You? What's to know? You're a punk, a rank amateur! And Gweny's a sad person with so many things on her mind, sad huh? A costumed errand boy with a girl he loves to be taking orders from a senile old man and a body guard wife!" As Joker gloats, Terry retorts that Joker doesn't know a thing about him, and proceeds to prove it by fighting dirty and catching the Joker off guard, landing a few good hits on him.

Bruce reveals to Terry that Joker, due to his vanity, likes to talk, and advises him to ignore his foe's words and just power on through. Coming to an epiphany, Terry changes his battle plan when he realizes that he likes to talk as well. With Gwen to help out while hacking to fire away with real fire.

"I got your back, Terry!" she said while working.

"(Likewise!)" and her other half.

It was sot of working...

"What are you doing?!" Joker questions him.

What does it look like, clown?

"Fighting dirty."

Terry as himself or Batman was fighting back really hard.

"The real Batman would never..."

"Told you you didn't know me." he keeps on fighting.

Hiding in the rafters, he plays mind games with the Joker, taunting him about his obsession with Batman, spending years trying to get a laugh from someone with no sense of humor, and his sloppiness as a comedian, insisting, like the Joker told Bruce decades ago, that he's 'pathetic'. Gwen fights back to fire another hit on Joker.

"Burn!"

"Oh, this one can fight back..." Joker kicks her to hitting her to the ground. "But you're too slow!"

Imitating the Joker's laugh at the ridiculousness of the 'Clown Prince of Crime', that he isn't funny or frightening, the psychological attacks which Joker has never suffered from the previously silent Batman sending his opponent into a crazed rage. An angry Joker throws a handful of grenades at his opponent, sending Terry crashing to the floor and Gwen to lose against the clown.

"Terry!" she couldn't break free. The Joker pins Terry to the ground, pulls off his mask and begins choking him. "Leave him alone!"

"Take another step, sweetheart, and the boy gets it..." Joker warns Gwen to stay back to get it. "Good girl."

Something had to be done, but there was...

"Terry, please get it!"

Terry capitalizes on the Joker's distraction and revealing the Joker's joy buzzer 'for Gwen to the item to Terry to get it' that he'd retrieved and hidden in his hand, and with a strained, measured 'ha, ha', reaches up and destroys the microchip with a prolonged electrical surge, thus destroying the Joker once and for all and restoring Tim.

"C'mon, McGinnis! Laugh it up now, you miserable little punk. LAUGH!" he couldn't hear Terry say it so loud. "I can't hear you!"

"Ha...ha." Terry places a joy buzzer on Joker's microchip.

This also allows Gwen to burn it up as well.

"Bye, Joker..." she said.

With this, Tim Drake was back to his old self for Megan or Gwen don't see any traces of Joker to be there no more. He was finally gone.

"Yep, he's finally gone for good."

With Tim getting help from Batman and Gwen to turn into Batwoman.

"(I got it done, now we get out of here!)" Gwen said. "(You got it?)"

"He's good to go." said the other half.

"Huh...?"

With Tim feel weak, he'll be just fine.

"We got you." Batman helps out too. "Let's go, Ace."

Terry escapes with Tim, Gwen/Batwoman, and Ace before the satellite destroys the factory, taking the guidance system with it and killing the beam. The satellite then drifts off into space 'allowing Megan to hack through to never happen ever again afterwards. In the city jail, the Dee Dee twins are revealed to be the granddaughters of the elderly Harley Quinn, who survived the fall all those years ago.

"You rotten little scamps! I struggle to make a good home for you and this is the thanks I get?!" said the old Harley Quinn. "Break a grandmother's heart!" she spanks the girls with her walking stick. "I hope they throw the book at you!"

She bails them out while lamenting what disappointments they are (punctuated with a sharp smack across their backsides with her cane).

"Oh shut up, Nana Harley." the two twins said.

I don't think anyone will know about the twins having Harley Quinn as their grandmother, and they never will...Barbara visits Tim in the hospital, assuring him that she's covering up for the Joker's

crimes, of which he is completely innocent.

"Is it over, Barbara?" he asked.

"Yes, Tim, it's all over."

For the couples came by...

"How are you feeling, Tim." Gwen asks.

"I owe you big time." Tim said to Terry and Gwen.

I guess he knows about who they are to keep it a secret.

"Forget it."

It was nothing for Terry and Gwen to do some good, they just like to help out others.

"It's our job." Gwen said with a smile.

"(It felt great!)" and her other self.

"For what it's worth, Bruce couldn't have chosen anyone better to put on the mask." he said to the two.

"Coming from you, that means everything." Terry said back.

"Thanks." and Gwen. "I knew you cared from back then..."

Terry and Gwen also come to visit, and they are all surprised to see Bruce and Megan there.

"Good work, you guys." Megan was happy. "You did something we try to do...sort of, but it all worked out, right?"

"And you guys want to see Tim?" ask Terry.

The Dark Knight explains that it's where he and Megan should be.

"Is where I should be..."

"Bruce really wanted to." Megan explains to them.

One more thing Bruce tells Gwen and Terry something before they leave to see Dana.

"Terry. Gwen." he calls them.

"What is it, Uncle Bruce?" Gwen asked.

"I've been thinking about something you once told me, Terry, and you were wrong. It's not Batman or you Gwen as Batwoman that makes you two worthwhile. It's the other way around. Never tell yourselves anything different."

The four old heroes mend their fences. Terry and Gwen leave together, but not before both Tim and Bruce stop to tell him that he is truly worthy of the mantle of the Bat, and that Terry was wrong: it wasn't Batman that made Terry worthwhile; it was the other way around. Though neither expresses it overtly, both are respectful and moved. Tim reconciles with Bruce and Terry leaves with Gwen to see Dana next.

"Hey, you two...What did I miss?"

"Where do I even start...?" Gwen tells her everything. "(I tells what I learn on what Batman and Batwoman did against the Jokerz who hurt you to be stopped in the end.)"

The next night, Terry and Gwen stand at the top of a high building to be making out and then stopping to getting to work next, looking out over the city they protect.

"If you guys are done, can we go save Gotham again?" ask Batwoman. "I want some action from what I almost missed out!"

"More later then, Gwen, let's get going." Terry was ready to go as Batman.

For Gwen was too for her other self with more fire power was under her control to still be the best heroine heroes.

"(More love later, Terry, the people come first who need us.)" Gwen was in. "I'll follow wherever you go, Terry, always will."

Like Bruce before him, this is the life he has chosen, and Gwen to be helped by Megan to do what needs to be done as a team. Terry pulls on his mask, spreads his wings, and flies off into the heart of Gotham City for Gwen as Batwoman to follow them.

"Let's move out!" the two crime fighting duo said.

"(Now we're talking.)"

All good things to have good memories, bad ones, saving others to seeing them again like Tim, the have Joker to be nothing but a memory now for Megan, Barbara, and Bruce were happy that it never happens again afterwards; for Terry/Batman and Gwen/Batwoman for two of her to save lives and stop villains from causing trouble in Gotham...To leave Harley Quinn old lady be, to show some love like Terry and Gwen, and always Bruce and Megan to never lose their love. From the past, to the present now, and more to future – who knows what will happen as time goes by to let it happen.


	40. King's Ransom

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 40 – King's Ransom

The Royal Flush Gang 'they're at it again' attempts to break into a museum. Without Ten, they lack an expert to disable the security systems. When Jack points this out, his father berates him and causes him to trigger the alarm by mistake.

"Too late!" said Batman.

Batman and Batwoman arrives and takes them on.

"Look it here, Bats." she spoke up to stop the four villains in a fire-like circle. "Our old enemies the Royal Flush Gang are back, but no Ten. Good! I'm glad she had a change of heart."

Good thing Gwen told Terry about Ten helping out to know of Gwen was Batwoman only to keep to herself.

"(Me too. But that doesn't mean we can't let her family off this easily. As well as her keeping my identity a secret.)"

In the subsequent fight, Ace is damaged and Jack is captured for Batman to damage up Ace, and Batwoman to put the heat on against Jack from powers to fighting skills.

"Lost again?" Jack said in defeat.

"Seems like it, big boy." Batwoman said back. "That's two down, and two more to go!"

King and Queen manage to get away with their loot, a jaguar statue, though its ear is broken off.

"(Got away again...)" said Gwen. "We'll be ready for them next time, Batman.)"

Jack is interrogated at the police station. Commissioner Gordon, knowing that the family's personal taste runs to different periods, demands to know who hired them to steal the statue.

"Another one of the non-talking bad guys I see." Megan smacks Jack upside the head. "Take him away, officers."

Jack claims ignorance, but Bruce has a good idea who the Gang's employer is.

"They were working with someone and I think I know who." Bruce was on to something big.

King meets with Paxton Powers 'they work for him now' to deliver the statue and collect their fee. However, Paxton notices the broken ear and gives King only a meager payment. King objects, but is promptly knocked flat by Paxton's assistant, a skilled martial artist. King is forced to crawl away with the pittance. At their hideout, Queen harangues her husband, saying the family is barely scraping by, and comparing King unfavorably with her father, the previous leader of the gang. King angrily says he has a backup plan. The Gang abducts Paxton and holds him for ransom, demanding 20 million credits. Kind of serves him right. Melanie Walker is working as an assistant chef at a restaurant. She sees the news of Paxton's abduction, and is confronted by Batman and Gwen.

"Why do I have to talk to Melanie like this?" Gwen asks herself.

"She knows who you are, Gwen, it's fine. And to prove that you work for me and you a Batwoman to keep a secret about to get some answers on what she might've heard about her family lately. Since she's not Ten anymore..." Terry/batman stops to say something else. "Listen! I'm not going to end up with Melanie, I swear!"

She gets it since she and Melanie have been talking lately...

"Hey, it's fine, Terry, you chose me over her. And Dana...Well, it might've been Dana or me." she gets it to hug her man. "I love you a lot. In fact, Melanie and I have been talking a lot to help her get a new life and a job. She's doing great, we became pals in some way you wish to call it. And if this will get her family to put a stop to, then why not."

"(It's better than her being the original Ten again.)" said Gwen's other self. "(Let just get this over with already.)"

Good to see Gwen and Melanie to get along alright. As the two see her again...

"Hi, Melanie. Batman and I are here to talk to you."

"Hi, Gwen, I see you have your boss." she said. "I have nothing to do with my family, I swear." She swears she doesn't know where her family might be, and is sure she won't hear from them – she doesn't exist to them anymore.

"We know." said Batman. "We're just wondering if you do here anything..."

"But I won't. As far as a I'm consider, I don't think of my as family or their daughter anymore."

Yep, she was clean the last time they met here to mean that Melanie as the the old Ten was long gone.

"I'm sorry." Batman said.

"Look, I'll get him and Batwoman to deal with the other thing. Thanks for answering the question. I'll be seeing you, Melanie, please take care."

As Batman turns to leave with Gwen, Melanie asks whether he delivered the note she gave him to Terry McGinnis.

"Wait!" she stops Batman. "The note I gave you to give to a boy name Terry McGinnis...Did he get it?"

Batman says Terry got it for Gwen leaves that part be.

"He got it."

"And now Terry and me..." Gwen tries telling Melanie.

"I know, you and Terry were meant to be more, Gwen. I'm happy for you both. And I guess he doesn't think I'm real to him anymore." Melanie sadly concludes that he must have read it and discarded it, meaning she doesn't exist to him either. "Gwen, never become someone you're not. Remember that."

Batman doesn't reply, and flies away with Gwen does with her fire powers.

"(I won't, Melanie, I'm glad you chosen the right path for yourself.)" she said.

Good to know that one ex-villain can change. Paxton swears that he doesn't have enough money for the ransom, it is all tied up in investments, and his swanky lifestyle is maintained solely on company perks. Flabbergasted, King calls Bruce and demands that he tap the company assets for the ransom.

"Megan..."

She gets to work for Bruce with Gwen backing Megan up to hack into the phone.

"I got it." she tells her husband. "Go."

Bruce coolly informs him that Wayne-Powers's corporate policy doesn't allow him to withdraw money to pay kidnappers.

"Bruce, you're not really going to-!"

"I know." he tells Terry. "It's not over yet."

It's all part of Bruce's plan...A furious Queen tells King her father had him pegged when he told her he was nothing but empty bluff.

"Brilliant!" Queen was upset. "Another plan that can't fail! Father was right about you! Oh, he had you pegged!"

This made King get angry.

"Shut up!"

"You're nothing but empty bluff!" she snaps back.

"You think I'm bluffing? YOU THINK I'M BLUFFING?!" King raises his sword at Paxton's face.

"No! Wait!" Paxton begs for his life. "I do have some valuables! Gold and jewels!" Paxton cracks and offers them a piece from his collection of stolen art: the Crown of Tikal, easily worth twice the ransom.

This allows King to spare him for now.

"Ah, the pustule pops."

King suggests that Miss Thorpe retrieve the piece, but Queen refuses to trust Paxton's associates, so King calls Bruce, giving him the security codes and telling him to rendezvous with the Gang with the crown.

"I take it you have a good idea, Uncle Bruce?" ask Gwen. "Let's hear it."

Paxton snidely informs his captors that, ransomed or not, he's ruined. He's revealed his collection's existence to Wayne, who will certainly turn him in to the police. However, he makes an enticing proposition: if Wayne is killed, Paxton will not only be safe, but will have access to millions in company assets, putting him in a position to reward Wayne's assassins. Queen expresses distaste, but King doesn't hesitate to accept. Using the security codes for Megan to hack into, Bruce retrieves the crown, and gets a good look at the rest of the collection. He drives alone to the rendezvous in a park, with Terry and Gwen watching from overhead.

"You two all set?" Bruce checks in on them.

"Yeah." said Batman.

"All good. Oh, right! I need to transform...Burning passion. Batwoman!" Gwen transforms.

Now Batman and Batwoman were good to go. But they weren't a lone.

"Heads up!" Batwoman warns her partner. "Ace's back!"

Unfortunately, Terry is ambushed by Ace and knocked out for Batwoman to save her friend's life to move away from the enemy, she flies on over to aid Bruce and Megan.

"(Uncle Bruce's in danger!)"

As soon as Bruce delivers the ransom, King attacks for Megan was ready for him to use her whips against a sword.

"Bow to the king, my foot!" she fights back. "Bruce, stay behind me!"

The three old foes briefly fight until Bruce summons his faithful dog, Ace, who tackles King and Bruce and Megan stop Queen from shooting at them for Batwoman to make her appearance.

"A trap, set up for Paxton to kill the old man. So weak, it makes me want to cry." said Batwoman.

Only for Paxton gets loose to grab hold of Batwoman to have her to himself.

"Unlike Father was with you as a weapon to love, I love you the way you are...Gwen." he knows who she was. "But that's between us. How about a kiss."

"No!"

The girls try to fight back for this guy wants Gwen for himself to be so messed up!

"(Let go of me...!)" Gwen tries to pull away from Paxton.

Terry regains consciousness and disables the Gang's Ace by knocking it into the fountain, before engaging Queen in a deadly fight with Paxton to get beaten down by Megan's powers to be push by more water on him.

"Hands off, pervert!" said Megan. "Man, that felt good...All good to go, Batwoman!"

This allowed Batwoman to handcuff her, while King wrestles Ace away and flees with the crown, leaving his astonished Queen to her fate.

"(He can't do that! King is suppose to be by his wife side!)"

"Not all fairy tales have a good scene, Gweny." Batwoman tells Gwen that. "But I know what you mean. Still, you almost got kissed by Paxton."

"(Don't remind me!)"

As Bruce, Megan, Gwen, and Terry confer, she slips out a trick card and starts sawing away at the flexicuffs' chain...

"What kept you?" Bruce asks Terry.

"They had an Ace in the hole." he said.

Showing that Batman dealt with Ace already to be destroyed.

"Luckily, so did I." Bruce has Ace to think to get him a lead.

"Let's track them down." Megan said to the three. "And...Let's take Queen along for the ride before sending her to prison and make sure Paxton goes to jail too while watching on him for a bit."

With Queen trying to make her escape and Batman stopping Paxton from going anywhere to make him fall off the tree.

"That was for almost kissing my girl!"

Nice one! A nice way for Terry to defend Gwen the women he truly loves. Back at the hideout, King examines the crown with delight, and then meets his new mistress: Miss Thorpe. In Paxton's absence, and with the codes provided to her by King, she has filched the rest of Paxton's collection. They plan to make a getaway with the loot, leaving the rest of the Walker Family to rot. Their assignation is cut short by an enraged Queen, who appears and attacks with murder on her mind.

"Queen!" Miss Thirpe was surprise to see her.

"Donna, my dear, I-I can explain!"

King can't talk his way out of this mess now.

"Explain what?" Queen questions him. "That you're a lying philanderer? That you've destroyed our family? That I've wasted the best years of my life on you?"

Like the King cared anymore.

"Nothing I ever did was good enough for Your Royal Highness!" he said back. "Well, I want out, and no one's going to stop me!"

However, she has inadvertently led Batman and Batwoman to their hideout, and while the feuding couple fight, Batwoman captures Miss Thorpe outside as she attempts to escape with the loot.

"Wow, lady, you serious need to get a better life." Batwoman said to stopping her. "Idiot."

Once King knocks out Queen...

"I couldn't stand it anymore!" the King said while fighting Batman. "The constant comparison! Do you have any idea what it's like living in someone's shadow?!"

Batman confronts him and knocks him out as well.

"Actually, I can relate."

"(Nice shot, Batman.)" said Gwen to call up Megan next. "(Megan, we got them all. You and Uncle Bruce can come in now.)"

At the police station, Jack is surprised to be told that he's being bailed out. His sister, Melanie, greets him, and he's surprised and touched to hear that she's worked hard to raise his release money. 'Hey, we're family', she shrugs. Jack gladly accepts Melanie's offer to work at her restaurant as a dishwasher, as it's an honest job nonetheless.

"Hey, we're family. I got a job for you. A real job." she tells her brother. "That is, if you don't mind washing dishes."

I don't think he minds it at all.

"Are you kidding? I was the best dishwasher in juvie hall!" he said.

Just then they witness Paxton being brought in by Barbara and one of her officers; he's been arrested for conspiring to kill Bruce to also trying to have his way with Gwen/Batwoman. Well, not anymore.

"Kill Bruce Wayne? They're lying, I tell you! Bruce Wayne's my mentor! He's like a father to me!" Paxton was lying.

"Except he doesn't glow-in-the-dark." Barbara said back.

This makes Megan laugh to also get her bounty money on this guy.

"Oh, burned!"

"Hey, I resent that! Where's my lawyer? I'll sue! I'll own this place when I'm through with you! You're all gonna work for the sanitation department!" he gets taken away for good.

For Jack and Melanie leave together to never do the Royal Flush Gang thing anymore after today.

"Let's get out of here." said Melanie.

As the siblings walk out and down the precinct's stairs, overhead, Batman and Batwoman both looks

down with satisfaction at a good night's work.

"Nothing beats better than a real happy family." said Terry to hold Gwen's hand.

"(I know, Terry, it's nice.)" she said back. "(Now let's go home.)"

They fly off for the to be thinking about moving in together soon, really...? Can Terry ask his mother to do it with Megan and Bruce helping him and Gwen out? Hopefully...But who knows for the time being. With two siblings free to live good lives, the other two arrested for good to be no more Royal Flush Gang, Paxton was out of business now, and his partner – all was fine in Gotham with a group of villains to be dealt with with another greedy person. Like father, like son of the Powers, huh? Oh, brother...

"One problem solved from the Powers family to be nor more!"

You said it, Batwoman!


	41. Untouchable

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 41 – Untouchable

Out at a Gotham research facility the guards are confronted by a mysterious man that floats down in front of them.

"Get a load of the freak in long johns." said one of the guards.

"You really haven't been in Gotham long, have you kid?" the other guard said to the stranger.

They fire upon him but he's unhurt by their gunfire and easily repels the guards away. He continues further into the facility and breezes through an electrical field. Walking on, he heads towards the isotope lab and accidentally activates a security door but it bends upon touching his force field. Batman and Batwoman both show up and tries to stop the man but his bola cables are quickly snapped and a batarang simply deflects off the field.

"It can go through this guy?" question Batman.

"Then I guess we'll give Casper here a little fire power!" Batwoman fires away to also have no affect on the man.

Strong, hard to hit, and such on this new super villain.

"(None our items or attacks didn't work!)"

"What is this guy, a ghost?!" Batwoman was confused.

"And that stuff will kill you!"

Batman trying to warn the man, like that was going to scare him one bit.

"It's okay, I brought protection." he said back.

The crime fighting duo try to stop the man himself but is stopped in mid-air and hurled into the wall. The man then reaches into a vat filled with a liquid that is hundreds of degrees in temperature. Unharmed, he flies out of the room. Batman and Batwoman give chase but still can't harm his enemy. During his escape the Repeller knocks over a billboard and Batman is forced to back off in order to save the people below.

"(Batman! The people!)" Gwen tells her partner.

Just in time to stops the thing from falling on everyone for Batman's fire to stop it, and Batman getting some of the people out of the way. This allow the villain to escape. Back in the Batcave, Bruce explains that the Repeller stole the only sample of an unstable isotope: Beta Sterillium.

"The other part is this, it's the only one ever made so far." Bruce tells them. "To be powerful and dangerous to use for one villain to try to steal it."

"And it seems that it worked, Uncle Bruce." said Gwen. "The question is...What would a villain like Repeller want with it?"

Terry explains that he's never seen anything like the Repeller's powers, but Bruce claims that he has.

"Neither one of us couldn't even touch him." Terry explains. "Batarangs, ropes, not even Gwen's fire power did work.

"But I might've seen it from somewhere..."

For Bruce to say that to take Gwen and Terry somewhere to the place at Wayne Tech, along with Mean to look up on something about the suit's power.

"I can't tell who it is yet, but I know something about the suit." she searches a little about it. "Some fellow science at the Wayne Tech fellow might've created a generator type of rings that are able to create a field that resists matter. It allows you to be powerful, can go through anything or nothing can't touch you, and it makes you go a lot faster. Nothing on the rest until I can learn more from some leftovers...So, who wants to go on a field trip?"

Together, Bruce, Megan, Gwen, and Terry go the Wayne-Powers Medical Research Facility, which has a special clinic for people with deficient immune systems. Because these people are so vulnerable to infections, they cannot be allowed out into the world without protection.

"It's sad seeing people like this...Reminds me of myself." Gwen looked upset.

"Hey, you're not alone anymore, Gwen, I'm here for you."

For Terry to say that to hug him.

"Thanks, Terry...I'm glad I have you."

Bruce, Megan, Gwen, and Terry are guided by Dr. Suzuki, who explains about the solutions they've been working on. The older 'bubble suits' were too cumbersome but they have come up with a new solution: the ISO field generator rings. These rings are said to 'create a dia-gravitational aura which repels all matter.'

"Yeah, that's something!" Megan studies it more. "If you wouldn't mind, Dr. Suzuki, both Mr. Wayne and I wish to learn more about your project."

"Right this way, you two."

A girl, who is wearing one of the rings, walks up to Terry and gives him a rose for Gwen to see...

"It must've been hard for you..." Gwen felt bad.

"I only been in this entire building from top to bottom."

While Bruce goes with Dr. Suzuki to see the specs on the rings. The girl introduces herself as Irene, and as they converse Terry is surprised when she tells him that she's never been outside the building, and Gwen felt something sad about Irene and her conditions. As Megan got some things down to type in only...

"So much to get..." she said to look happy doing it.

Bruce looks over the specs and asks for a copy of them, but before he can get it, another doctor, Dr. Blades, arrives and angrily forbids it. Even when he learns who Bruce is, he refuses to allow it.

"What makes you think that you can rummage through my files like you own the place?" Dr. Blades questions Bruce.

Only for him to say so and then introduces himself to the man.

"I do: Bruce Wayne." he shakes hands with the doctor.

Bruce says he only wanted to know whether the ISO-rings could be adapted into a weapons system—which proves to be the wrong thing to say.

"It's so much work to understand what it's use for to do so much...I like to study it myself besides Bruce interest in such a useful machine." said Megan.

"Forget it! It won't be use for business or anything outside of this building." Blades angrily retorts that he would never participate in that kind of research and storms off.

"Man, Bruce, what's eating him?"

So pushy for Megan to notice...That night, at Gotham Steel + Ore a couple of thugs wait for the Repeller who crawls out of a vat of molten steel letting it harden then shattering it. He gives the criminals the Beta Sterillium in exchange for some credits. The female thug, Makeba, mentions that he only charged half as much for the Alpha Sterillium but he replies that the higher price is because of Batman and Batwoman. Makeba is concerned, as they still need the Gamma Isotope. Repeller assures her that they'll get it and if Batman and/or Batwoman get in the way again, he'll kill them. But that's not all...

"And I have a little something to make both our businesses much easier with some help..." he said.

What could he mean? Who was it? Later, Terry and Gwen meet up with Dana at Cheezy Dan's and prattles on about Irene.

"You feel bad for her to be stuck in a bubble all day, you know?"

"It is sad...I just wish I can free her." Gwen thought about it.

"Yeah, I see...Trying to cheat on Gwen for Irene, Terry?" Dana gets jealous for Terry wasn't paying attention to his Gwen and starts to walk away. "They always want the unobtainable, and they're always willing to sacrifice what they already have to get it!"

A little dramatic much there...?

"Wait, Dana, we both feel bad. She's like a little sister Terry never had."

For Gwen to explain, she gets to smile.

"Just kidding, I know..." she pats Terry on the back. "Terry, you better make this girl happy."

"I am, Dana, believe me. There's a difference to worry about someone than falling for them."

Irene continues on and tells Terry that she's lost out in the city and when Terry asks if they let her out on her own, she tells him she escaped.

"(Wait, Irene escaped on her own?)" surprise Gwen. "Terry, we better go help her out."

Irene, Gwen, and Terry go to the beach and Irene talks about how the only thing she can really experience is the sound.

"I can't feel or taste things...But I can see and hear the ocean. It's lovely." she said.

"It is nice. Irene, we're a lot alike...Well, from someone else I know and work for, she has powers like I do."

Gwen shows a little of her fire powers to Irene.

"That's incredible, Gwen!" Irene loves it.

"Yeah, but it can be hard when being half human and half...something else."

"But you are still you, Gwen, I wish I was human to feel and taste everything."

Those two have become friends fast.

"Just so you know...I'm with Gwen to love more." Terry tells Irene. "I mean just because, that doesn't mean we can still be friends. Gwen really likes you already."

Terry tries to tell Irene about Gwen but Irene suddenly notices that the rings are almost out of power and she must get back to the lab for Gwen hopes to help out her new friend for her inner self to say so.

"(Leave it to you, Gweny. From your hacking skills to get Irene back inside of the sad place.)"

Together, Terry, Gwen, and Irene sneak in but Blades is there.

"Irene, you'll be in the box until you learn how to use the rings responsibly." he said. "And you two are here by ban from this place for good."

"Wait-!"

"Don't, Irene, just go." Gen tells her. "I'm glad we had fun. Just take care of yourself for Terry and me."

He bans Terry and Gwen from the institution and grounds Irene.

"I'm sorry..." she goes into the box to say her goodbyes.

Things are getting serious for Megan to learn ore about this back in office about Irene's conditions and Repeller's skills.

"(Man, what am I missing here...?)" Megan asks herself. "(I have to keep on looking.)"

Terry and Gwen go to Bruce and talks to him about Irene for a while.

"Terry does like her as a friend, Uncle Bruce. Both he and I want Irene to be free and happy somehow." Gwen explains.

But seeing Terry with some girls to remind him or himself.

"When I was younger women used to throw themselves at my feet all the time before I fell in love with Megan."

That he did a while back.

"What'd you do?" Terry asks Bruce.

"I stepped over them." he said back. "All accept for Megan Tsuki."

Terry now sees why Bruce fell in love with Megan a lot.

"Smooth."

"I thought so." Bruce said.

After that conversation, Bruce explains that Alpha Sterillium had been stolen from the University and that if both the Alpha and Beta Sterillium are combined with Gamma Sterillium it creates a powerful explosive. The best source for the Gamma Sterillium is the Blüdhaven Nuclear facility.

"Terry and I will get to it, Uncle Bruce."

"Good, and I'll get Megan to back you up." Bruce does that. "Good luck. And Gwen, don't worry, I'll talk to Dr. Blades to let you and Terry off the hook to visit Irene any time."

She likes the sound of that, it was show time now...

"Thanks, Uncle Bruce..." and then Gwen transforms. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Off the two lovers go. Meanwhile, Irene is left alone in the lab but notices that there's a bubble suit in her room. Donning the suit, she calls Terry's house and gives Matt a message to tell Terry to meet her at the beach. Matt, however, doesn't really listen. As well as Megan got something to go meet up Terry and Gwen, to then have someone or something get to this girl.

"(Good, I know what's happening...)" Megan feels out danger to try contacting the others. "Bruce! Terry! Gwen! Can any of you guys heat me-?!"

Her voice gets cut off to get capture, by Repeller? That's not good! Unaware of Irene's location, Batman and Batwoman go to the Power Plant and is ambushed by the Repeller.

"Like those will work on me again."

However, Batman throws a specialized batarang at him, which wraps him up in titanium ribbons.

"These were made just for you." said Batman.

"And some from me mix in with fire too!" Batman shoots off hot led to hold power like Repeller's.

Nice team work with new skills to use too.

"Titanium." Batman explains. "The strongest alloy known to man. It's unbreakable. And to some hot led mix in."

"Nothing's unbreakable if you apply enough force!" Unfortunately, the Repeller can break even them.

"(It would've worked!)" said Gwen. "(Get ready again.)"

Now free, the Repeller starts attacking with gravitational blasts finally succeeding in trapping Batman underneath rubble, while pushing Batwoman aside, and pushing Batman towards the ocean. Batman is unable to escape and is buried in the ocean by the falling rubble.

"Batman!" Batwoman was mad to use some more fire power. "You'll pay...!"

The Repeller believes Batman to be dead and leaves.

"That's one down...Unless you want to face me, you'll have to get through my hostage first to aid my power suit."

He shows Batwoman to the tied up Megan to be force to aid Repeller from his powers with her hacking skills.

"(Megan!)" shock Gwen.

"Batwoman, don't listen to him...! Save yourself." she said.

Forcing to do more work, Repeller leaves with Megan to force Gwen not to follow.

"That's what I thought. See ya." he leaves with the hostage.

Fortunately, Batman manages to escape for Batwoman to fly and aid him back on to shore 'without touching the waters'.

"Yo, Bats, they have the old man's wife!"

"I know, I heard and I saw." he said. "We'll get Megan back."

Back at the research lab, Irene goes to get the Repeller rings but the Repeller arrives with Megan and removes his mask revealing himself to be Suzuki.

"Dr. Suzuki?" shock Megan. "I should've known it was you!"

"Sorry to drag you into this mess, Ms. Tsuki, but with your skills, I couldn't refuse to be useful to me." he said. "With Batman out of the way, let Batwoman try to stop me next."

Irene tries to hide but is discovered. Before Suzuki can deal with her, however, Blades comes in.

"Irene? What's going on?"

"Get out!" Megan warns the man too late.

Suzuki attacks him and explains that he figured out how to solve the power problems and decided it'd be more profitable to use the rings as a weapon than for medical purposes 'and some more help with Megan making it happen'. He then hurls Blades out of the room and begins to crack Irene's helmet open but Batman and Batwoman arrive and tackles him.

"(Irene!)"

"Oh no you didn't!" upset Batwoman. "Messing with the weak, doc, then it's on!"

Megan helps out Irene once she treats Dr. Blades quickly to getting the girl to safety.

"Let's get out of here." she calls up Bruce to tell him what's going on. "Yo, Bruce, it's me. You have to hear what I just found out since Repeller kidnapped me with a god reason."

The three fight one another but Suzuki has the superior power and easily gains the upper hand. Fortunately, the fight forces Batman into a hangar for Batwoman uses some hot led on her staff weapons to slow down Repeller as long as she could, and Batman remembers Irene telling him the one thing that can get through the gravitational field: sound.

"(Wait...!)" Gwen remains Terry. "(Batman, it's what Irene said. Sound! Trying making sounds!)"

Suzuki flies in and repels Batman again.

"Haven't we danced this waltz before?" Dr. Suzuki questions the Dark Knight.

"Humor me."

Batman hurls a batarang and hits the control panel, activating the turbines. Suzuki is unconcerned and keeps advancing. Bracing himself against the wall and Batwoman to melt her hands to hold on tight, Batman puts on a pair of headphones he snatched from the turbine operator and waits it out, same with Batwoman to have her own.

"This better work, Bats!" Batwoman said to her partner.

Soon the turbine noise becomes deafening, and Suzuki is overwhelmed. Ironically, the field makes it impossible for him to put his own hands over his ears.

"Stop it!" he was begging. "Stop it now!"

In desperation, Batwoman shuts down the suit and is nearly sucked into the turbines.

"(It worked!)"

Batman manages to shut off the turbines and save Suzuki just in time. With the ordeal over, Blades allows Irene to go out of the building. That's great for him to allow Irene to see Terry, Gwen, and Megan at anytime.

"Well, I'm glad that's over." she said to also arrest Dr. Suzuki. "When messing with power, you should know your own place."

"I'm glad to see you're unharmed, Megan." Bruce tells his wife."

"A know...No force labor working for me again, thank you."

Terry is happy for her but tries to tell her about Gwen.

"Irene!"

However, she introduces another friend, Larry, who is more than a friend to her.

"I'm sorry, I know you two make a perfect couple." she said to hug Gwen. "I hope to see you later, Gwen."

Irene could never figure out when to tell Terry or Gwen, oh well. She does have a boyfriend...For Terry and Gwen to leave to see Bruce and Megan out.

"It's nice to make new friends with others to be who they are, you know?" Gwen said.

"It is." Terry holds Gwen. "I could never replace you for someone like her, but I'm glad we'll always be friends."

For Terry to tell Bruce that Irene took it, 'better than he thought', they drive off.

"People learn differently, don't they Bruce?" said Megan.

"They do, Megan..."

Hold hands, how cute. For the love, friendship, power, and so much to learn today for others to get free on such to not be afraid to use something if they're careful with it. Yeah...It's good to aid others to have a good and normal life.


	42. Inqueling

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 42 – Inqueling

Out at Shimano Space Center a small group of people prepare to launch a satellite into space. Winchell, the company owner, is concerned as the satellite is worth a billion dollars. Outside, Inque emerges from the ground and sets to work destroying the rocket. Yep, she's back...

Nearby, Batman and Batwoman fly out in patrol over Gotham and notices the trouble while talking to Max.

"(Lots to be going on with Uncle Bruce and Megan to get out while we're patrol, but it's nice to see them together in love.)" said Gwen.

"Old love couples that is..." Batwoman makes a joke. "But in the a good way."

Max thought it'll be good for Terry and Gwen to go out a lot more, at times they can.

"He expects for us to work even harder while he's gone!" Terry tells Max.

"(Sad, but true.)"

"Why?" Max asks them.

"He always thinks something bad's going to happen the minute he and Megan leave town." Batman sees the sky lighting up. "And somehow he's always right. Gwen."

"(Roger, Terry, let's move out.)" Gwen was ready. "(Maxie, we'll call you back later.)"

They go in to investigate and finds Inque.

"Ah...! Not this liquid witch I again...I hate her!" Batwoman was burning up and ready.

"Inque!" Batman gets her attention. "Last time Batwoman and I saw you, you were washed away in a storm!"

Well, it appears to be the new and improved villain of Inque now for round three.

"And now I'm rainwater fresh, Batman! And same with you, Batwoman. You hate me the last time...Well, you will even more from the new me."

Batman quickly tries to capture Inque by bathing her in liquid Carbon Dioxide but she balls herself up and vibrates, shattering the ice.

"It didn't work?!" shock Batwoman. "Give me a break...!"

She then goes on the offensive and conceals Batman in her body, not even Batwoman can burn her off of her partner's suit.

"(Inque! Let her go...!)"

Batman, however, was also prepared and activates an electrical field over his suit thereby forcing Inque off of him.

"Not this time..." said Batman.

Nevertheless, Inque manages to knock the rocket over and it launches over the ground eventually hitting a truck of petroleum.

"Batman! It's gonna blow!" Batwoman uses her shield to save everyone else with her fire skills. "Man, that woman can cause loads of trouble."

The rocket is completely destroyed in the explosion. At least no one else was hurt. After their failure, Terry and Gwen go to Max and tells her that he needs her to research Winchell, and see who his competitors were.

"Try to see what you can find, Maxie, and I'll do the same." Gwen helps her friend out too.

"Okay, but Terry...Why not call Bruce and Megan about this?"

Max suggests calling up Bruce but Terry refuses saying that in his past two fights with Inque, Bruce had to put his life on the line to capture her.

"She was in the Batcave once." he tells Max.

"That's more than I can say." she said back.

He doesn't want to have to rely on Bruce again and insists he'll catch her himself this time.

"Terry's right." Gwen agrees. "I don't want Uncle Bruce's life to be put in danger again, and Megan to worry so much to take Inque on alone without thinking of a plan first. And when Megan gets mad, she can go crazy from her ESP powers."

So true, Megan acts like that sometimes, but she's no idiot. Meanwhile, Winchell tells someone over the phone that the project has to be scrapped and it's a big loss. Inque arrives and points out that it's only a loss until he gets paid by his insurance company, which will gain him a profit. She gives Winchell a card to route her cut of the profit to her account and he sits down to his computer. However, before he sets the transfer, he pulls out a gun and blasts her with it deciding that he'd rather keep all the money for himself. Inque is unable to evade his attacks and is gravely injured. Winchell tells her that it's a particle destabilize and that no substance is impervious to its effects. However, before he can kill her, Inque leaps out the window and escapes. Winchell is unconcerned, thinking he's already hurt her too badly to survive. Elsewhere, a repo man starts to tow a car away but the car's owner, Deanna Clay, runs out and insists that she can pay her balance. She hands him a number of credit cards and all of them are over limit. Finally, she gives him a credit card that she claims is brand new. The balance is paid and the repo man releases her car, also giving her the number for a credit counseling service, saying...

"You've got a problem, lady?" Deanna tosses the card away and goes back into her apartment.

Unbeknownst to her, Inque is watching and sneaks into her apartment. Inside the apartment, Deanna talks to someone over the phone and successfully negotiates her way out of paying another debt—by incurring yet another debt to someone else. Inque arrives and Deanna tries to run, but Inque stops her and reveals her human face, showing that she's Deanna's mother. Wait, she has a daughter...? Who knew! Now laying down, Inque explains to Deanna why she abandoned her: Inque was young, and the police were after her. Feeling she had to run and couldn't keep her daughter, she left Deanna with some guardians, but always made sure to send her money thereafter to keep her in comfort. When Deanna asks why she allowed herself to a become a shape-shifting mutant, Inque says her new abilities allowed her to earn 'more money than you could ever imagine'. Back at school Max arrives and signals to Terry 'while he and Gwen were dating a little' that she has the information and he heads out to see her.

"Hey, you two. Don't forget, be at Rhino's tomorrow night." Dana reminds them.

"We'll be there, Dana, thanks." Gwen said with a smile. "(Now let's see what Maxie has gotten for us.)"

Max explains that no one was competing with Shimano on the project.

"Here's what I could find..." she tells them. "Winchell hired Inque to sabotage a new satellite launch for insurance fraud. Does things well to hiding it from others, very hard to prove in his illegal schemes."

Good lead so far. So both Gwen and Terry decide that he'll have to investigate Winchell himself and heads off.

"Let's go pay Winchell in person, Gwen."

"Right." she follows her boyfriend.

It was time to get some answers to stop Inque next for Max leaves it to them.

"Good luck, you two." said Max.

Back at Deanna's apartment, Inque's condition grows steadily worse. Deanna arrives and starts to ask for more money but Inque has other things on her mind. Inque asks Deanna to get more chemicals for a revitalizing mutagen shot. Deanna is uncertain, since she has never stolen before, but Inque talks her into it. Deanna suggests renting a car to go to the lab so her own can't be traced, only she has no cash for it. Inque readily agrees, and offers to transfer some creds into Deanna's account, but she's too weak to do it herself, so Deanna offers to do it for her, calling her 'Mother' for the first time. Back at the Shimano building, Batman and Batwoman sneak into Winchell's office.

"Picky guards to protect some faker..." said Batwoman to have a look around. "I think if we pass through this part, we can sneak inside next."

Good thinking there. Finding black spots all over the wall he takes a sample and identifies them as remnants of Inque.

"(She was here a while ago, Terry, but she's weak.)"

Winchell arrives, and Batman and Batwoman confront him.

"Your lawyer might be too busy on a criminal case." Batman said to showing himself.

"Hi, mister, let's talk..."

Winchell calls in his security force, which starts shooting. Using a smoke bomb, Batman manages to disable the guards. Winchell grabs his particle destabilize and opens fire. Batwoman easily evades the blasts and captures Winchell—who awakes a short time later to find himself dangling over the side of the building from Batman's grip.

"(Just like the original does it, huh?)" said Gwen. "(Okay, Batman, it's your turn.)"

Winchell was freaking out.

"Hey, you either answer to the Bat, or my fire...It's your call." Batwoman warns him. "Choose wisely."

"I don't know where Inque is right now! I swear!"

When asked, Winchell swears he doesn't know where Inque is or how to find her, but he gives her the numbers for the accounts he transferred Inque's payment to as Gwen/Batwoman gets it down on her computer.

"(I got it.)" she said to track it down. "(This will lead us to Inque now.)" Gwen does more thing.

"We contact the bounty hunters of Megan's to turn you in, mister." said Batwoman to blow a fire-like kiss. "See ya."

Knowing that Inque is wounded, Batman and Batwoman headed off to stake out the mutagenics lab, while Max checks out the account information.

"(You know, Terry, you having Uncle Bruce around, he's like another father figure to you since your real one passed away.)"

Gwen makes a good point there for Max to agree with their friend.

"Bruce Wayne. Some father figure."

This has Terry smiling.

Maybe you're not so far off, Gwen." he said.

Max discovers the recent transfers into Deanna's account and learns her address.

"I got something." she tells them. "There's a lot of accounts use from one person with some may cards to use...It's nearby. Someone name Deanna Clay."

Batman and Batwoman go to Deanna's apartment and nearly succeeds in capturing Inque, but Deanna stops him and gives injects her mother with the mutagen.

"(Batman, watch out!)" Gwen tries to warn him.

She does the same at Batwoman to spray water all over her.

"Ah! Come on, kid!"

Rejuvenated, Inque attacks Batman with renewed strength and hurls him out the window and tries to straggle Batwoman to death with no way out.

"Mother?" Deanna was confused.

"I got this, honey, let mommy work. These are bad people who want to stop me." she said.

Batman flies back to grapple hook Inque to go down with her and freeing Batwoman.

"Let her go!"

Though Batman gives it his best effort and even manages to surprise Inque a few times, he's still defeated when Inque drops a cement truck on him. Only for Batwoman to come back and fire blasts at it to save her partner's life.

"You gotta quit saving Gweny sometimes, Bats." she gives it her all. "But you do love her, right?"

Inque holds him helpless and is about to kill him and Batwoman, when suddenly her body starts to dissolve and evaporate.

"(Wait...I'm not doing anything to her...But something is.)" Gwen feels it out. "(The injection Inque put into her body!)"

Deanna appears and coolly explains that she tainted the mutagen with a solvent, which is causing Inque to break up. Now that Deanna has her mother's account numbers, she doesn't need her anymore.

"A powerful development made by hand to go cancel out things from within you." she explains.

Inque, appalled, asks how her own daughter could betray her, to which Deanna replies that Inque never was a real mother to her.

"After all I gave you!" she was in pain. "How could you have turned out like this?!"

"You never gave me anything except money, Mother. How did you expect me to turn out?"

Well, it looks like Deanna made the right call, didn't she. And before long, Inque is gone.

"Yep, she's dead alright." said Batwoman.

A short time later, Deanna sits on the new veranda beside the new swimming pool outside her new mansion, sipping a drink brought to her by her new butler. Her sunbathing is interrupted by Batman and Batwoman, who points out that the police will eventually catch up to her-he also explains that the police have been unable to find Inque's residue.

Deanna shrugs this off, claiming that her mom's dead, but Batman points out that Inque very well could still be alive, as 'she's been dead before', before leaving himself.

After he's gone, Deanna suddenly takes notice of all the shadows and black spots around her, and no longer feels as safe as she did before. On the wall behind her, one of the shadows shifts into an angry eye, indicating that Inque is in fact still alive.


	43. Big Time

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 43 – Big Time

Out on the streets of Gotham City, a Wayne-Powers truck carrying several canisters of Cerestone is tailgated by a much larger truck. The driver of the larger truck jokingly tells them to 'stick 'em up', to which the drivers simply get annoyed; however, the larger truck opens revealing a grappling gun that pulls them in. The guards are taken in and a single thug, Karros, breaks his way into the truck with a cutting laser. The guards are thrown from the truck, but Batman and Batwoman arrived and engage the thugs.

"Guess who?" Batwoman punches one out. "Booya!"

Gwen always have to deal with her inner self sometimes.

"(You don't have to over do it...)"

"But that's what makes it fun, Gweny. And now for the rest of the gang who needs to be spanked."

During the fight, a canister of Cerestone is popped open, forcing the thugs, Batwoman. and Batman to retreat.

"I take it it's bad?" Terry/Batman asks Bruce.

From the looks of it, yes.

"Cerestone – only if you breath, taste, or gets into your body it is." he said to the two.

Getting out in time to getting two of the other men, Batman and Batwoman have a long way to go to stop the other ringleader.

"I hate the smell to stop...whatever it was that guy was stealing..." said Batwoman.

Later, Terry and Gwen talk to Bruce on the phone about Cerestone and learns that it's an experimental hormone used to accelerate plant growth and that a rival company, Agrichem, is seeking to steal the formula. He identifies Karros as the leader of mercenaries.

"It's not good with some thugs take it for good payment."

"And then some!" Megan explains the rest on what she could look up on. "Nasty stuff it is...Cerestone was an experimental hormone developed by Wayne-Powers that accelerated plant growth. It was estimated to revolutionize farming industry. Why they still have it? You two have the wrong woman to ask. I'll put on a wanted list on Karros right away."

Terry's conversation is cut short when he hears Dana angrily rejecting the advances of a blonde man that doesn't seem to care that she's not interested.

"Hey!" Gwen helps out her friend. "Leave Dana alone, mister!"

Terry comes to the rescue with Gwen, but is surprised to see that the man is Charlie 'Big Time' Bigelow, an old friend of his.

"Big Time?"

"T.T." Charlie said back to Terry.

"Wait, you know this guy, Terry?" Gwen asks her boyfriend.

Terry introduces Charlie to Gwen, Maxine, and Dana, who remembers him and is wary.

"Guys, this is Charlie 'Big Time' Bigelow. Charlie was always scheming about how he was going to make it big and the name stuck."

"And T.T. is Tiny Terry, 'cause he was always thinking small." Charlie said about calling Terry by that nickname.

"Oh, hi." Gwen introduces herself. "I'm Gwen Grayson, Terry's girlfriend. And these are Maxine and Dana."

He likes Terry friend and girlfriend to look very cute.

"Three hot mamas, I like..."

"Sorry, but Gwen's my girl." Terry says something to Dana next. "Dana, you remember Charlie?"

"I remember who he is. Do you?" she questions Terry.

"Come one, Tiny, show me around town to also get something good to eat. Excuse me, ladies."

The two go out for Gwen felt something off to do some investigating.

"Sense something off about Terry's old friend, Gwen?" Max asks her.

"You could say that, Maxie... (I better follow them.)"

Later, Terry and Charlie talk about the way things have turned out 'while Gwen spies on them carefully to be sneaking from her fire powers'. Charlie mentions to Terry that he has an opportunity for a big 'job' and offers Terry to come in on it. Terry promptly refuses; however, Charlie isn't about to let him simply walk out and tries to talk him into it. Terry still refuses and tells Charlie to grow up.

"Ease up, Tiny. You only have that nice life because of me." he said. "You owe me for playing your part down."

It seems that he's more successful than Charlie, who says that in order to go straight, he needs a break. Terry meets up with Gwen to see her getting something off from Charlie...

"Gwen...?"

She had to tel Bruce about it for Terry to go talk to him in person.

"Sorry, Terry, but...I had to tell Uncle Bruce..." she said.

"(Oh! Busted!)"

Terry goes to Bruce, who immediately refuses.

"No. I can't risk it." said Bruce. "Gwen, you did the right thing to tell me about this."

She was doing this for Terry to care about her boyfriend's safety.

"Why? 'Cause he's an ex-con? You know about my record." Terry explains. "You trust me with all this."

"You didn't spend three years in prison."

"And Charlie did, Terry." Gwen tells him. "Look, I felt something. Something a bit off that has something to do with the events that's been going on. It's bad."

"That's right. He did and I didn't." he said. "All because I happened to be underage. He and I were the same, Bruce, only I caught a break. I just want to give him one too. And Gwen, I know...You're worried about me, I get it. I can't argue with that with you."

However, Terry manages to talk him into it.

"Gwen, keep me posted." Bruce tells them what to do. "And Terry, try not to get caught."

With Gwen's computer skills, she'll get work.

"Right. Let's do this."

Terry calls up Charlie and tells him the good news. Charlie readily accepts the job and is immediately congratulated by Richard Armacost, an executive at Agrichem. Karros, however, isn't too sure that Charlie is ready for the big time.

" You sure you're ready for the big time, kid?" Karros questions him.

This was bad...

"Are you kidding? Big Time's my middle name." he answers back.

Charlie starts his first day of work and immediately gets into trouble. A guard, Captain Rubens catches him trying to move a computer terminal. Charlie claims that he just dropped a disk behind the mainframe and gets the guard to help him move the computer. All of this proves to be a ruse so that he can get a shot of the captain's hand print. Back at the Batcave, Terry catches Bruce looking up the files on Charlie.

"Doing some researching, Uncle Bruce?" Gwen asks him.

"And my word wasn't good enough?!" Terry argued.

"Just keeping my eyes open, and you should do the same thing, Terry." he said. "Why else is Gwen worried about you?"

He is appalled by Bruce's distrust until he find out that Charlie spent time with Armacost, an executive at Agrichem.

"That's his big contact from inside..."

Terry suddenly realizes that Charlie used him as Gwen follows her boyfriend to stop this mess right away.

"(Terry's gong to need a lot help on this one...)" she said.

The next day, Karros explains that they made a glove from the guard's palm print, which should enable them to bypass security. He gets angry and calls Charlie 'Thumbalina' when he doesn't immediately respond. Charlie is upset and appeals to Armacost to discipline Karros, but he brushes it aside. Outraged, Charlie warns Armacost that he's doesn't feel he's being properly repaid for watching his back in jail. Armacost tells him that he is by trusting him with a big job. Charlie leaves the Agrichem building and finds Terry waiting for him. He informs him he knows what Charlie's up to and tells him off for using him. Charlie tries to defend his actions by telling him he offers to let him in on the heist but Terry tells him he can't let him pull it off. Charlie refuses to listen, claiming that with the people he's working for, he can't stop even if he wanted to and tells him he's still as shortsighted as ever.

"You would've had something, Terry, but no...You had to change..But I didn't!"

"Hey!" Gwen steps in to keep her fire powers under control from the anger on Charlie. "Friend or not, you leave my Terry alone!"

He wouldn't hit Gwen even if Charlie wanted to...

"Her my girl, and you're going have to answer to me." he warns his old friend.

"Whatever..." he leaves. "You're lucky to have a cute girl like that."

Charlie storms off, unaware that Terry has left a bat-tracer on his suitcase.

"Did you do it?" Gwen asks Terry.

"This is the best we can do for now. And guy like Charlie is, stay away from them."

Good point there...That night, Charlie waits in a Wayne-Powers warehouse and assaults a guard with a taser. He then uses the special glove to open the warehouse door, letting Karros and other thugs in.

"Let get carry these and get out." said Karros.

"Or just walk away."

The gang goes for the canisters of Cerestone, but Batman and reveals himself they start shooting at him. Allowing for Batwoman to step in from her fire powers and fight skills.

"Or let us beat you guys up, either way." she said while still fighting.

Karros shouts to Charlie to get the canisters and hurls a grenade at Batman and Batwoman. Unfortunately, the grenade causes a canister to fall over and its lid to loosen.

"(No, Charlie!)" Gwen tries to tell him. "(Don't touch it if it's not sealed up!)"

Charlie tries to save the canister but it bursts open and he's bathed in the Cerestone. Meanwhile, the fight continues and Karros manages to bury Batman in planting soil.

"I would save Batman if I were you, Batwoman, or he'll die under there." Karros tells her.

Sirens are heard and the gang runs, leaving Charlie behind. Charlie manages to grab onto the getaway truck and leaves with them.

"(Charlie!)"

"For get it, Gweny, Bats comes first remember?" she uses a fan type of weapon to blow the dirty away, dug some out, and burn some solid to turn into melted mud. "Here we go."

Out of it, the two had to follow the truck to stop them and Charlie.

"(Terry, I think Charlie's been exposed to the deadly Cerestone.)" Gwen tells him the bad news.

"What?!" he was very shock and angry to hear.

Later in an alley, Karros blames Charlie for the failed heist and demands that he pay 40,000 credits for the loss. Charlie is unconcerned at first, claiming that Armacost won't allow anything to happen to him. Karros says that he doesn't care what Armacost thinks and tells Charlie he better get him the credits or he'll pay dearly. After Karros leaves, Charlie discovers that something is wrong: his hand swells to an unnatural size then goes back to normal. It's starting to take affect...The next day, Terry, Gwen, Dana, and Max leave school and find that Charlie is waiting for Terry.

"I'll go check on him." Gwen follows Terry.

Which leads to question on Max's mind.

"What's with those two?"

"Ask Terry." Dana said.

Charlie explains his plight and begs him to get the money from Bruce. Terry refuses, telling Charlie to turn himself in. He refuses to go back to jail but his rant is cut short when he starts to feel immense pain and runs off.

"Wait, Charlie!" Gwen tries to say something from Charlie running away. "Something's wrong with you, I can feel it! We won't have you put in jail, the least you can do is go to the hospital! Please Charlie! (The stuff you have all over your body might kill you., or worse...)"

But nothing worked...That night, Terry explains to Gwen and Max his history with Charlie: When he was fourteen, Terry was trying to cope with his parents' divorce and out of anger, he would commit petty crimes with Charlie, who was eighteen at the time. Charlie then got the idea to prove himself to a gang by pulling off a heist and Terry went along with it. This got both of them arrested, but since Terry was underage, he was sentenced to Juvenile Hall for three months while Charlie was sent to prison for three years, which is why he's been rolled around with guilt ever since Charlie came back.

"You're not going to bring him to his senses. He needs to do that on his own." she said.

"Maybe I can at least keep him alive until he does."

Max tries to tell Terry that he doesn't owe Charlie anything, but Terry insists that Charlie is his friend and he has to do something to protect him. Once he left, Gwen comes out of hiding to help Terry take care of this mess for Max leaves it to her.

"Good luck."

"Right..." she transforms with an item to protect Gwen from the rain. "Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Meanwhile, Charlie suffers the full effects of the Cerestone and is turned into a large, hulking creature.

"Hey, pal, let's take you to the hospital for Terry's sake. Come on-! WHOA!" Batwoman get shock.

"(Charlie...?)" same with Gwen. "(That stuff turned you into a monster!)"

He pushes Batwoman aside to go back to being Gwen again for her life to be put in grave danger now.

"Gwen...Come to me..."

Sad, he has changed even his voice to make Charlie turn into something else for him to grab Gwen to take her somewhere.

"No! Let go of me!" she couldn't break free. "Terry! Anyone! Help me!"

Ignorant of Charlie's condition, Karros heads off to Agrichem and demands Armacost pay him for the failed heist. Suddenly, they hear a tape rewinding and discover that Batman has recorded their conversation. Soon to get a call from Megan to tell Terry this...

"Terry! Gwen's been kidnapped by someone you know of!" she tells him.

"Gwen!"

Just then, Charlie, now calling himself 'Big Time', crashes into the room along with the capture Gwen.

"Batman...get out of here..." said the weak Gwen.

"Charlie?" shock Armacost.

"The growth hormones..." Batman said to see his girlfriend in danger. "Let her go!"

Both Karros and Batman try to stop him, but Big Time's strength allows him to disable them both. He continues to advance on Armacost, believing that the transformation is his fault.

"I go by Big Time for me."

He carries Armacost out to the side of the building and prepares to drop him, but Batman ties him up with his grappling rope to grab Gwen away from Charlie as well.

"Gwen stay put, I got this..." he places Gwen on the ground gently to handle the battle on his own.

However, before Batman can further disable Big Time, Karros attacks him. After a brief fight, Karros accidentally cuts out the balcony from underneath himself and falls from the building, well that and Gwen uses some type of fire attack.

"You'll pay...!" she does it. "It's the least I can be useful, Batman."

For her to use another power to land Karros fall a bit to get burned and tying up Armacost for Megan to electrocute the man to arresting them both.

"I got you, Gwen, let Batman take care of this one." said Megan. "Once I get the others to join, I'll treat you next."

And Megan does so...As Big Time manages to break his restraints and attacks Batman, who pleads with him to stop.

"Stop...! I don't want to fight you..."

"Of course you don't!" he said. "With this new look, I can finally get the respects that I want!"

However, Big Time continues the fight, deciding that he'll finally gain respect. Batman has no choice but to fight back and sadly punches Big Time out.

"That was for my girl..." he said. "I'll never forgive you for that. Oh, Charlie..."

In the morning, a newscast reports that Big Time has been taken to jail and Karros is in the hospital thanks to Megan's help.

"(Well, Gweny, say something...)" said Gwen's inner self. "(Come on, I ain't got all day...Next time I'm hitting Big Time for hurting me to the face!)"

As Dana and Max gave Terry some time, Gwen 'who just got a bruise' tries to comfort Terry telling him that it was for the best that he remained away from Charlie.

"Terry...I'm sorry this happened." she said. "Are you happy that you didn't get into Charlie's business...? I know its bad to bring it up and and, but I felt this feeling would be done to get worse. And I'm fine from him kidnapping me..."

"I know." he kisses Gwen to embrace together of their love. "Lucky me...Gwen, I was worried he might've of..."

"But he didn't. I'm fine."

Though Terry claims to agree, he's still deeply hurt.

"I know, just be more careful next time." said Terry. "We better head to class."

"Okay." she said to hold Terry arm.

"One thing I can say, he'll never have someone as hot as you, Gwen."

A nice way to have friends, good family, and Gwen in Terry's life that means a lot to him the most.

"Oh, Terry..."

Hard to lose a friend again to get even on harder times to lose it all, huh? A very sad thing – like another Harvey Dent who became Two-Face who was once Bruce's best friend. Now it just this one with Terry and Charlie.


	44. Out of the Past

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 44 – Out of the Past

Terry, Gwen, and Megan take Bruce out on the town for his birthday, including a performance of 'The Legend of Batman', a musical based on Batman's legacy.

"I am vengeance...I am the night...I am..." the man playing as Batman begins to sing. "Batman!"

From three men and three women begin to sing in their villain costumes.

"Batman!"

"Batman!"

"There is a song the good folks sing!"

"Song the good folks sing!"

"Batman!"

"About a hero on the wing!"

"Hero on the wing!"

"Batman!"

"I am Gotham's Darkest Knight, the villains' darkest fright, turn on the signal light, for Batman! Batman!"

A huge wild applause happens for others to love it.

"They got a good one of me, huh?" Megan questions the other three. "Not bad."

It is apparently quite popular with the public of the day, including Terry, with sold-out shows.

"Are you enjoying this, Gwen?" Terry asks his girlfriend.

"I never been to a boardway show before until tonight, Terry...This is fun!"

She seems to be enjoy it a lot with Terry and Megan with her husband, but Bruce himself...

"You hate me, don't you?" Bruce questions Terry.

"Lighten up. It's your birthday."

Like he already doesn't know about that and Bruce Wayne's age.

"Don't remind me."

Seems to be fun for Gwen for Bruce to be happy for her to see a show like this to like the real Batman only...The next scene happens where a guy dress as Gordon goes up to Batman.

"Good work, Caped Crusader! Once again, you've saved our fair city from those vile miscreants!"

"They were no problem, Commissioner! For as we all know, criminals are.." other Batman sings again.

"A superstitious, cowardly lot! They plan and plot, but they always get caught!"

Then the two together.

"Their evil schemes all come to naught! A superstitious, cowardly lot!"

"It's schway." Terry said to Bruce about the musical.

But to Bruce himself...

"It's schwarbage." he said back.

Bruce is naturally unimpressed, believing it to be a mockery of everything he has ever worked for, and leaves in the middle of the performance with Megan tagging along.

"Bruce, wait..." Megan follows him. You guys watch the show. I'll see Bruce home. Don't mind him. (Please don't be upset because of your age, Bruce. Please...?)"

Having Bruce's secret wife worry about him, Terry and Gwen stayed to enjoy the rest of the show.

"Will Uncle Bruce be okay? He looks sad when it's his Birthday."

"Maybe there's a lot on his mind to be with Megan instead." he thought about it. "Who knows. But at least I have you, Gwen."

Enjoying the rest of the night for the two kissed...Back in the Batcave, Bruce looks at some pictures of the women in his life. From Zatanna, Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, Andrea Belmont, Lois Lane, and Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Still, none of them could ever replace the women he truly loves a lot more being Megan Tsuki, the Psyche to love and to marry.

"Bruce, I knew you've be looking at the women who loved you for most..." she said. "What's wrong with me?"

"It's not that, Megan, I just wish for us to be young for a while to get special spark in our lives again."

Megan notice something from the Batcomputer.

"Hey, no picture of Talia al Ghul on here." she said.

"You want me t have a photo of your little sister who try to steal me away form you?" ask Bruce.

From losing her and Ra's from the fall that one time, part of Megan misses her while the other hate her only sister to have Bruce love her instead.

"I don't know...Hate her attitude, but she didn't have to die with Ra'a..."

From Ace's growling to spell someone familiar to the two.

"Ace?" Bruce was confused.

"I know you missed her, but you don't even have a picture of this woman either." Talia shows herself. "Hello, Sister."

Talia was still alive! But how? Either way, Bruce was happy to see her again and Megan to have her sister alive and well for them to hug each other.

And then, Talia herself appears in person: Talia, as young and beautiful as ever, wishing him a happy birthday, and mildly surprised that Bruce doesn't have a picture of her as well.

"Talia! You're alive! But how? Tell me!" she was shock and happy to see while also being very confused. "(Because either way, I'm so happy to have a family in my life again to be normal.)"

"I miss you too, Sister, believe me."

Talia brought with her a meal of roasted pheasant with truffle risotto, just like what they once shared at a small bistro in Milan, but Bruce states that he can't eat such things any longer, and asks why she is there.

"I guess the Lazarus Pit did wonder to you, Talia." said Bruce.

"Yes...What my Father did with it is a cursed to have it down to me next over the years to still stay young, but it's the chance to have you two love birds to be young again. I wish to give it you, my only sister, and you my Beloved."

Talia admits that she has made free use of her father's last Lazarus Pit, and now she wants to offer its powers to Bruce, a chance to be young again and Megan too.

"Us? Young again?"

Terry and Gwen arrive back, and they are introduced, though Terry shows that he knows all about Talia and her father from Bruce's files to his mentor's mild surprise.

"Who's this girl?" ask Gwen.

"An old friend of mine, this is Talia al Ghul." said Bruce.

"And Talia, this is Terry McGinnis and Gwen Grayson. Also a couple."

"I've heard a lot about them. The two new Batman and Batwoman had to be the right choice for them to be so young."

Looks like Talia knows all about them...

"Hello, Talia..." Gwen felt something odd about her. "(Weird, she's different than she was when Uncle Bruce and Megan meant her many years ago...)"

"I've read a lot about you too. You're the daughter of Ra's al Ghul and Megan too who was part of the mess, one of the old man's worst enemies from way back. You helped Batman and Megan fight Ra's one last time in the Near-Apocalypse of '09. For the last couple of decades you been putting your father's money to work cleaning up the mess he made. Current residence is a two hundred acre estate on New Cuba."

Bruce gives Terry a surprised look.

"Hey, not bad..." this also surprises Megan.

"What? Did you think I was down here playing vid-games?" Terry said to Bruce.

Terry unknowingly repeats Bruce's question. Talia simply states she's offering Bruce a gift, and that she's staying at the Gotham Plaza until tomorrow night before taking her leave.

"Try thinking about, Beloved...I only wish is to see you happy again. And to you too, Sister."

Once Talia left, both Gwen and Terry had to ask Bruce and Megan what Talia meant from the nature of this special gift...

"What gift?" the two asked.

The next day, Terry and Gwen tell Max about it...

"ETERNAL YOU-?!"

"Shh...Maxie, please." Gwen tells her friend.

She stops, remembering they're in a library; Terry pulls her aside.

"Eternal youth?" Max whispers to them.

In conversation with Max at school, Terry, having been told all about the Lazarus Pit and its side effects, confides that while he doubts Bruce would go through with it, he could see Bruce was tempted by the offer.

"That's not all, Megan denies doing it." said Gwen. "She said her time with Bruce to be married and help out one another is the most important thing of their love and team work to ever happen."

"You think he'll do it?"

"I doubt it...Though there's part of Bruce who really wants to..." Terry explains. He has sometimes seen it in Bruce's eyes: Bruce would like to be Batman again and continue the crusade. "And for Bruce to leave Megan for being young again could be bad."

Gwen already hated the feeling already.

"They we need to make sure it doesn't."

"(From a woman to come back after many years or for an old man like him leaving his bride to be young again?)" Gwen inner self asks the others. "(I don't know, Gweny, you tell me.)"

Max wonders if such a situation would put an end to Terry's own heroics, which he now realizes is a possibility.

"Whatever happens, you two better find out soon." she said to them.

En route to Talia's hotel, Bruce's car blows a tire.

"I got this, Bruce." Megan helps him out.

"It's fine, Megan." he wanted to do it to take a long time.

He pulls over and after activating a distress beacon to the Batcomputer slowly gets out to change it, feeling more infirm than ever. Then, a group of muggers try to rob Bruce, who he and Megan fight them off. Scared, one of the muggers grabs a nearby woman and tosses her to the middle of the street.

"Hey!" Megan was afraid to shoot the person without the woman getting hurt.

"Let her go!"

Bruce manages to get to her, but he is too feeble and falls down while trying to get back to the sidewalk. Both are about to be flattened by an oncoming truck, when Batman, having received the beacon, arrives and saves them while Batwoman pushes the truck aside to keep on driving.

"That's right, pal, keep on trucking." she makes a joke. "Girl and Bruce are saved."

Megan checks on her husband's conditions.

"Bruce, are you okay?!"

Bruce bemoans his own helplessness.

"He's not so happy lately..." Batman said to himself.

In Talia's suite at Gotham Plaza, Bruce admits he's not sure why he's even visiting and Megan to tag along with him, relating the roadside incident.

"I would've done more if Terry or Gwen haven't saved me and that girl."

Talia says that no one has earned a second chance more; he has given up his whole life in service to others; and what's more, she wants a second chance to be with him.

"Maybe you have faith to give yourself a second chance to change it all, become young again...You and I can change the world if we do it together, and you too, Sister." She proposes to merge their corporations, and thus broadening her philanthropy to other nations.

"I'm not so sure it's safe, Talia, maybe Bruce and I might..."

But Bruce accepts for Megan to have a very bad feeling about it all.

"Okay." he said he was in. "Megan, I have to do this. You can with me."

But she had an odd feeling, even from Talia to be touching her hands on hers weirdly...

"Try to think tis over, sweet sister."

"Ah...Yeah... (Wow! What was that all about?)" Megan asks herself.

With Terry and Gwen accompanying Megan him, Bruce flies with Talia to her estate on New Cuba.

"An quiet type of plane ride this is, huh...?" Gwen said. "I just want to help out Uncle Bruce in any way I can."

Besides Megan not liking the idea at all. Bruce still has some misgivings, wondering if he even has the right to artificially prolong his life, but Talia soothes them.

"All of this is for you two...The pit is much safer than last time." Talia also says something to Terry. "For you, Terry, and your girlfriend shouldn't worry either."

"I'll tell you right now, there's no way I'm wearing the Robin suit."

She notices that Terry also has doubts and assures him that Bruce won't be taking back the Batsuit even after the treatments are over, not if she has anything to say about it.

"I promise you both and Sister that I'll be with Beloved's side through all of this to happen." she says so. "I know what I'm doing."

As Gwen and Terry waited for Bruce to start off, Talia tells them about Ra's on who and what he was before he finally passed on.

"Your father to love but to not like his ideas at all, huh? And Megan..."

"She's fine. A lot to worry about her husband, I too would if I were to marry him in her place." she said. "I do miss him a lot for some parts to have change if he did...Ra's al Ghul was a man of many contrasts. Leader, environmentalist-"

"Sociopath." Talia brings up her ear, indicating she heard that. "Sorry."

I think Talia gets the point for Gwen to find it hard to trust in someone who was Bruce and Megan's enemy.

"I was going to say father. I think this is how he like to be remembered."

For Gwen to pick up on something strange to keep to herself about it for Megan to be on to something already.

"(I'm not the only on who knows about Talia's odd behavior...Terry, me, and even Megan herself.)" said Gwen.

And now, it begins...Bruce go in it as the others watch and worry for some, even Megan the most.

"Bruce..."

Bruce has his first exposure to the Pit; he is briefly driven mad by the process and nearly attacks Terry when he goes over to him, but is quickly sedated.

"Uncle Bruce, don't! It's Terry!" Gwen had her fire out a bit to keep Bruce away. "I don't want to hurt you, but if I must...!"

"It's fine..." Megan sees Talia using some spray to place Bruce to go to sleep. "He just needs to rest up. (It worked. Still, Bruce, you all gave us half a scared.)"

Talia tells Terry and Gwen that the process is much improved from before.

"It's much better than it was a long time ago. Believe, you two, it'll be fine now."

Terry doesn't look reassured.

"Gwen, are you thinking what you're thinking too?"

"I am, Terry. I think something's up with Talia, like she's another person and not her real self. As well as Megan knowing about this, she and Uncle Bruce are both in danger."

For them and Megan were on the case to see what Talia was up to...As Bruce wakes up to see him looking a bit younger, Talia explains that it will take several more treatments before the process is complete. Bruce now resembles a man in his 50's: hair partially white, but possessed of a physique nearly as powerful as it was in his glory days as Batman.

"You look younger again, Bruce, I like it." Megan said to hugging him.

"Thanks, Megan, and are you sure you don't want to do this with me?"

About that...

"I want to, but something's odd about Talia, my own little sister, that I feel something off to lose you and her..."

"But why?" he asks his wife.

"Bruce...What are you saying? Don't tell me you still choose to love Talia's young self than me if I wasn't in the pit like you were!" this made Megan look sad. "Please don't do this to me to leave her-!"

"I won't...Never to you, Megan, but I would love a few weeks with us to feel and be young for a while. Not for your sister, but for me?"

Oh, that's good. Bruce won't live Megan for her younger looking sister Talia, to makes her feel a bit happy to do it on certain condition with him.

"I'll think about it. I just need to walk around for a bit, Bruce, excuse me. And thanks."

Good, Bruce was happy to be having Megan in his life with a little bit a change for her to start investigating more...

As Bruce and Terry work out in the gym together, Bruce is briefly exhilarated at his feeling of power, but then he cracks and angrily says that he is cheating nature just like Ra's to see Megan look upset because of this. He informs Talia's attendant, Carter, that they are leaving, but Carter makes it clear that they are prisoners. For one unique moment, Bruce and Terry fight side-by-side against the estate's thugs for Gwen to see and help the boys out.

"Terry! Uncle Bruce! What's going on?" she asked.

"Come on, Gwen!" Terry grabs her hand. "We're getting out of here!"

Stopping outside Talia's bedroom, Bruce hears Ra's al Ghul's unmistakable voice coming from inside. Bruce breaks in and sees Talia, seemingly alone. Now Megan knows something's up to hack into the systems to also try out the pit herself to aid the others, with some after shock to treatment from her watch.

"(This looks bad...And I'm going to regret this tomorrow...)"

Going in, will Megan be unharmed? As Bruce demands to know where Ra's is.

"Where is he, Talia?" Bruce asks Talia. "Your father's voice, I heard it!"

"He's here, I can sense Ra's." Gwen tells her to then getting it. "Wait...You're not...!"

Talia laments that she had hoped to keep this secret from him...

"I guess what's done, is done now..." then Ra's al Ghul's voice issues from her own mouth. "Detective."

"I knew it...You're Ra's using your daughter's own body!" Gwen figures it out.

No way! Momentarily shocked, Bruce, Gwen, and Terry are then literally shocked into unconsciousness by Carter.

"Tsuki will be my again and so will you too."

With Megan trying to get a hold of her younger self 'whatever it looks like' to hack into the place of Talia's right away...Outside the estate two of Ra's thugs, Mikey and Carl, prepare to toss Terry and his backpack into a crocodile pond and Gwen. Well, her other self kicks in.

"Burning passion. Batwoman!" Gwen transforms.

However, Terry regains consciousness and overpowers them and Gwen/Batwoman's help, then rushes back to the castle.

"We better hurry." he said.

"Right, but you know I had to come out because Gweny needed me. Let's go save the two old love birds from the fake lady!"

"(From the man who's using his own daughter's body you mean...)" Gwen corrects her other self.

Inside, Bruce awakens in restraints, hooked up to a device in the Pit chamber. Ra's al Ghul, occupying the body of his own daughter, explains how, after their last battle, his own body was too injured even for the Pit to restore.

"You always were the perfect specimen, Detective. Even old age has not softened you as much as I had feared." Ra's said. "As for my other daughter, this will be great to be bond with power and loving family again once I find her."

"I should have known you'd cheat death again, Ra's."

"I don't cheat death, I master it. Though I assure you, this time my longevity comes at a price most dear." In order to avoid death, he called on Talia to make the ultimate sacrifice: herself.

That's so mess up!

"Talia." Bruce felt bad for the real Talia's long gone.

Ra's had developed a computer allowing him to transfer his consciousness into another body, but at the time, it would only work for someone who was a close genetic match.

"I must move on to a new host body: Yours!"

"Sure Ra's, why not?" said Bruce. "Anything to hold off the Grim Reaper another few seconds." Bruce contemptuous. "I take it back. You don't cheat death. You whimper in fear of it."

Now, however, he has refined the computer to remove this restriction, and he immediately hit on Bruce as the 'perfect specimen'. The entire scheme was a ruse to make Bruce's body ideal to house Ra's al Ghul's spirit.

"SILENCE!" he slaps Bruce in the face.

"And you hit like a girl." he smirks.

Ra's also reveals that the incident with the tire and the mugger was staged. Once the transfer is complete, Ra's will reappear in Gotham with proof as being Bruce and Talia's long-lost son, making him the heir to Bruce's fortune and company.

Terry, now donning the Batsuit, enters the Pit chamber in time to interrupt the mind transfer. Ra's attacks with a sword and the two face off. With Batman backed onto the computer's control panel, he catches Ra's sword between his hands on a downswing and redirects the point into the panel, electrocuting Ra's into unconsciousness, and starting a fire.

Bruce breaks out from his restraints, and they both run out of the room, Batman carrying an unconscious Ra's. But Ra's wakes up and runs back in, shouting that he cannot let the computer be destroyed. Reaching the burning console, he activates the fire suppression systems, managing to keep the computer intact.

Behind him, a live electrical cable damaged by the fire breaks and when he turns around, he has just enough time to witness the cable swing freely towards the Pit...Bruce and Batman reach the outside of the mansion just before it goes up in a massive explosion that nearly knocks them off their feet. Batman wants to go back in to look for Ra's, but Bruce says, "Whatever was in there, died years ago".

Back in the Batcave, Bruce is looking at a picture of himself and Talia at what may very well be the same bistro in Milan that Ra's had mentioned: he actually did have a picture of her after all. His body is gradually returning to its normal age and will fully do so in about a week, but he's not bothered by it. Suiting up, Terry asks if she was "the" woman; the annoyed Bruce notes that Terry ought to be getting out on patrol, at which he does with a smile. Bruce switches off the screen and says softly, "Rest well, beloved" and whether he actually needs it yet or not, takes up his cane and leaves for the mansion above.


	45. Speak No Evil

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 45 – Speak No Evil

A lone figure travels through the alleyways of Gotham and people are immediately panicked at his appearance. Elsewhere, Terry, Gwen, Dana, Max, and Howard are walking up to the library.

"I still feel like getting books is different..."

"Different to read or not to have." Max corrects Howard. "We have to have these things.

"I don't mind having both really. Learn more about things, even to animals." and Gwen. "(Only because my other half likes it more.)"

While Howard wonders aloud why libraries are still in existence, Terry hears a scream in the distance.

"Did you hear a scream?" Terry asks his three friends and Gwen his girlfriend.

"Hey, it's Gotham City. That's practically our theme song." said Dana.

Taking the cue, Maxine tells Howard that she wants a Bee Fee burger. Howard argues with her and Terry finally acts fed up and says he'll go get one himself.

"Gwen, come with me so I won't mess up on the order again."

Gwen knows what that means.

"Coming, Terry." she follows her boyfriend. "Max. Howard. Dana. You guys save us a seat, please."

Batman and Batwoman fly out to a group of frightened people and they point out the lone figure: a gorilla.

"Whoa! Is that a real gorilla...? And for some reason I can relate."

"(Please don't.)" Gwen to her other self. "(Batman, we need to be careful around this ape. Gorillas are twice as strong if they're threaten to kill anything it their way, as gentle as they are at times...we better approach to it calm and not threatening.)"

Batman walks up to him trying to keep him calm with a soothing tone.

"Easy, boy. We're not goin to hurt you..." he does his best walking up to it.

However, the gorilla becomes a little agitated and starts to walk away. Batman then jumps on the gorilla.

"Hey!" Batwoman uses some fire and a something soft for Batman to land on. "You look threatening to it."

"Not helping...!"

This proves to be a mistake as the gorilla becomes enraged, hurls Batman off and runs through the streets. The gorilla makes its way to the train station and hitches a ride on a train.

"(Is that gorilla hanging on to a train?)" surprised Gwen. "(I know they're very smart, but nothing to be smart to hold up to a back of a train!)"

Batman and Batwoman try to catch onto the train with a grapple but the gorilla knocks the rope off.

"Bats, I'm not using fire on a smart and wonderful animal it is."

Something new for Batwoman to say, although she's right. When Batman and Batwoman try to fly after the train he discovers that it's too fast and the gorilla gets away. While Batman and Batwoman watch the gorilla's escape, a couple of men run up calling out to 'Fingers'.

"Fingers!" one of the scientist is name Fulton.

"Fingers?" both Gwen and Batwoman said at the same time.

"Fingers?" same with Batman.

Well, there was a very good reason why Fulton call the gorilla Fingers...

"My kids named him."

The men tell Batman and Batwoman that they're zoologists at Gotham University and the gorilla was a test subject of theirs. During their tests Fingers went crazy and escaped.

"(This is our shot to save the poor creature.)" said Gwen. "(Batman, let's see if we can get Fingers from the other train station.)"

Batman tells them to have the police set up an ambush but Fingers recognizes the police and escapes into the park.

"I knew this would happen...I want to help this gorilla out."

"(Why so worried?)" confused Gwen. "(Aren't you more of the fighting type in my other half to control?)"

A lot has been happening to poor Batwoman only.

"I have my reasons caring about an animal like Fingers, okay?"

Still...It's hard to tell from Gwen's powerful half on what she was thinking about right now. Later, Batman and Batwoman tell Bruce about Fingers' escape into Gotham Park.

"(It's so weird, Uncle Bruce.)"

"The good news is, gorillas don't attack unless they're provoke." he said to them. Bruce isn't too concerned since gorillas don't tend to attack unless provoked.

"Yeah, but this one name Fingers isn't a normal gorilla." said the young Dark Knight.

Batman, however, is concerned because Fingers knew not to step on the third rail and got onto the only fast train leaving the station. This behavior leads them to believe that the gorilla is smarter than a normal gorilla.

"You two want to follow up, then be my guess." said Bruce.

"Right!" the two crime fighting duo said together.

Even Megan says something to both Terry and Gwen before taking off to learn more about gorillas...

Megan: Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas (both critically endangered), and either four or five subspecies. They are the largest living primates. The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of humans, from 95 to 99% depending on what is included, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the chimpanzees and bonobos. Gorillas' natural habitats cover tropical or subtropical forests in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although their range covers a small percentage of Sub-Saharan Africa, gorillas cover a wide range of elevations. The mountain gorilla inhabits the Albertine Rift montane cloud forests of the Virunga Volcanoes, ranging in altitude from 2,200 to 4,300 metres (7,200 to 14,100 ft). Lowland gorillas live in dense forests and lowland swamps and marshes as low as sea level, with western lowland gorillas living in Central West African countries and eastern lowland gorillas living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo near its border with Rwanda.

Good point...

"Okay, Gweny and Bats. You heard the old man and his wife. If we're going to solve this type of problem, then we're doing it my way." said Batwoman. "First off, let's see what the Gotham University are hiding from the rest of the world to see..."

Bruce grants Batman and Batwoman permission to follow up on their suspicions and they go to Gotham University. While in the zoology lab, they search the cabinets and finds methyl glycose: a key ingredient used in splicing.

"(Oh, no...Not another one of those cruel splicing on people again...)" Gwen already hates it from a while back. "(For some reason...I'm picking up something from this one.)" she said from her computer.

Just then, the zoologists return arguing about their scam. Batman and Batwoman both reveal themselves and confront them with the evidence. Batwoman wanted some answers to easy way, or the hard way with some fire power.

"Hey, I want some answers boys. Don't tell us, then we'll make you talk..."

"Calm down, Batwoman." said Batman. "Just tell us what you two are talking about, and she won't turn you two into cooked pork."

She won't, but she would if there was real trouble...They explain that they were doing unsuccessful intelligence experiments on Fingers and were on the verge of losing their grant money. In desperation they spliced human DNA into Fingers and this is what caused him to go crazy. The zoologists tell Batman and Batwoman that things are even worse than they knows: they used enhanced DNA and Fingers will only get smarter.

"It's a gorilla who's getting much smarter..." said one of the scientist.

"A gorilla on the loose to be stronger and smarter than he appears to be with human emotions..." something was on Batwoman's mind. "Gweny. Bats. Don't judge me, but I have a feeling this animal was a test subject in the clone making once, a lucky one. We have to help Fingers."

There was a lot on her mind, huh? Morning comes and a newscast announces that the Gotham Zoo has just received an abandoned white leopard cub from 'world-renowned animal conservationist James Van Dyle'. Fingers sees the newscast and becomes very angry. He destroys the vid-screen then speaks his first words in English: 'Van Dyle'. Fingers can talk?! After nightfall, Fingers re-emerges into the streets and Batman and Batwoman are instantly after him.

"(I got a lock on Fingers.)" Gwen senses the animal. "(This way!)"

Fingers tries to evade Batman along with Batwoman's quick fire skills to be harmless on living beings, and climbs up a building under construction.

"Bats, you sneak up, I'll keep Fingers distracted."

Batman tries to sneak up on him using his stealth mode while Batwoman had some fire to slow Fingers down slowly without hurting him, but Fingers can smell Batman.

"(Batman! Please don't hurt him!)" Gwen beg of Fingers.

Fingers manages to disable Batman but instead of killing him he simply asks why humans can't just leave gorillas alone to ask the same to Gwen as well.

"Why...?"

"It talks?!" shock Batwoman. "Didn't see this coming."

"(Amazing...)" same with Gwen.

"You can talk?!" and Batman. "Right, the splicing..."

"Why can't you leave us alone?" Fingers questions the two. "What have we ever done to you?"

Batman insists that he's only trying to help but Fingers doesn't believe him.

"Everyone's panicking down there...We're just trying to help...!"

Fingers believes Batman and Batwoman to be the same as the doctors and Van Dyle—they just want to put him in a cage.

"You two want to put me in the cage. You two are just like the others and Dr. Van Dyle." said Fingers.

"Who's Van Dyle?" confused Batman.

As Gwen tries to use her powers of fire to calm Fingers, Batwoman steps in to say something next.

"I got this, Gweny...Hey Fingers, look...Life is harsh I get it. This girl here, she went through a lot for me to help out, and this guy Bats, he was there for the both of us to not be ourselves to control fire but we are the best we can. We're on the same side to understand one another. If you want us to help you do something about this doc, then tell us."

It seems to work so far...

"(Amazing...Yes, please tell us.)" said Gwen.

Batman asks who Van Dyle is and Fingers tells his story once Gwen and Batwoman calm the gorilla: years ago, in Africa, when Fingers was just a baby, Van Dyle and several other poachers captured Fingers' mother in a net. They were separated and Fingers never saw his mother again.

"Now do you see?" said Fingers. "That's why I'm not fond of you humans."

A sad story for Gwen to be sad and Batwoman to really let out a burn out of her system.

"(My God...I'm so sorry...)"

Batman insists that not all humans are alike and that if Fingers is telling the truth, Van Dyle is a poacher and will be arrested 'for Megan to step in for the bounty money'.

"Heck, if anything else Megan Tsuki will be hunting his butt by now." said Batman.

Fingers is more concerned with discovering the whereabouts of his mother.

"I just want to know where he's keeping my Mother..."

"Then we'll find her and stop Van Dyle for good." said Batwoman. "Besides, you and I are a lot alike. Don't ask me why, it just...there's a lot we've been through so much."

Batman and Batwoman offer to have Van Dyle arrested if Fingers stays hidden. Fingers agrees to wait, but only until dawn.

"You both have until dawn." he said. "Do it by then, and maybe I'll take you both seriously. Do it until dawn."

With one thing for Megan to give up and be alerted about, Gwen gets the information about the location to tell Terry/Batman.

"(I found out on what lead we can go to...)"

Batman and Batwoman headed to The Wildlife Way Station, Van Dyle's supposed 'animal preserve'. Terry/Batman remembers how his father took him there as a kid, and is disgusted to know it is really a front for poaching.

"I think Dyle and these people should be in cages more than these animals." angered Batman.

"I agree..." Batwoman alerts her partner and Gwen. "Relax, I can keep my cool. OK? We just got to stop this guy and his goons while we still have a chance. You don't know what it was like."

In stealth mode, Batman and Batwoman observe one of Van Dyle's men removing a subcutaneous radio transmitter from a young animal, proving that it was in fact taken illegally from the wild (where it was tagged with the transmitter by a genuine conservationist).

"(To tell you the truth, I know what it was...And Terry knows of it too. Remember that.)" Gwen tells her other self. "(Still, we have to help out Fingers.)"

Good way to show Batwoman that Gwen gets it and so does Terry, they both do on how she feels. Unfortunately, Van Dyle's artificial eye is able to see Batman and Batwoman even when they are in stealth mode and he knocks them both out with a taser.

"(Gwen...)" Batman is out cold.

"(Terry...)" same with Gwen.

"Ah! I can't move..."

Meanwhile, Fingers grows impatient and hitches a ride on a police unit. He rides along until he reaches Gotham Studios and calls a taxi from there. Believing Fingers just to be an actor in costume, the Taxi Driver is unconcerned and takes him to the Wildlife Way Station.

"It must be hot in that costume." said the taxi driver.

And he goes along with it.

"You get used to it."

Batman and Batwoman wake up to find themselves in the lion's cage and the lions aren't happy to see them there.

"Hey, lovers! Wake up!" she said. "While you were shock to be knocked out, there are bad big kitties who are about to eat you both!"

Fortunately, Fingers arrives and rescues the two before the lions are able to do any serious harm with Batwoman uses some fire to scare them only.

"I guess we're a lot in different ways, but with a sad past." said Fingers.

"That we do, Fingers. Thanks." Batwoman keeps the lions away. "Back off, kitties. Get back!"

No animals were harmed.

"(Now we're talking...)" Gwen was happy. "(We can help out the animals and stop the poachers. While also alert Megan about this right away.)"

Nice move there, Gwen, she sends it to Megan right away. Frightened by Fingers's appearance, the poachers grab their guns and start firing at him. They ignore Batman and Batwoman, which proves to be a mistake as Batman manages to disable them and a lot for Batwoman to give them tons of beat downs and fire powers.

"Big mistake!" said Batman.

"Tell me about it..." she gets the others to beat down. "The one thing I hate more than losing a fight, is poachers like you jerks!"

All in control to see a lot more of Gwen's stronger half.

"(I have to agree with you there.)"

Van Dyle, however, is still standing and prepares to shoot Batman and Batwoman but Megan and Barbara show up and confronts him with the poaching charges.

"We came here just in time." said Barbara.

"Yeah, and enough evidences to put you, Dyle behind bars as long last." and Megan. "I hate people like you."

Van Dyle claims to be on the level and points out that there's no evidence against him 'to be lying about it'.

"Me do those things...? And what prove do you people have?" he asked.

However, Fingers comes out of hiding and confirms that Van Dyle is a poacher.

"I am the proof." said the giant gorilla. "Remember me, Van Dyle? You try to get to my family and to my Mother. I can never forget that greedy face of yours."

He explains what Van Dyle has been doing but Van Dyle still denies it and tries to run. Batman manages to stop him but Van Dyle hits him with a taser. Batwoman tries to stop Dyle to use the taser to melt, and Megan to hand cuff his one hand.

"Got ya!"

"Don't even think about it, pal!" Batwoman fires one spark next to Dyle's side. "Leave Bats alone...!"

Enraged, Fingers attacks and demands to know where his mother is. Van Dyle claims not to know, as he doesn't keep track of his sales.

"She was my mother!" he said.

"To me, she was just another gorilla." said Dyle.

Furious, Fingers starts to throttle him but Batman and Batwoman point out that he's acting like a human.

")Stop, Fingers!)" Gwen was scared.

For Batwoman to grab hold of Fingers to calming him down.

"Alright, gorilla, that's enough! We are the same, but I don't kill unless it's not human!)"

He can't do this!

"You're acting like a human to try to kill another!" said Batman.

"I am not human..."

"Well, you're sure not a gorilla anymore..." the Dark Knight said back.

"Then don't be." said Batwoman. "We'll deal with the likes of this man, you just let us do the job and for you to see justice. Please..."

Refusing to be human, Fingers releases Van Dyle and walks away.

"Thank you."

He said it to leave, allowing Barbara and Megan to finally place Dyle and his men are arrested for good to saving the animals to setting the free or be treated carefully for a bit.

"Way a go, you two." said Megan. "You've done it again. Even for Batwoman herself was on a role today."

Later, Fingers is taken back to his homeland and Bruce offers to remove the human DNA from his system. Fingers refuses, as he wants to remember from this experience and knows that there will be more poachers and he intends to protect the animals from them before leaving.

"(Later, ape man.)" Batwoman plays around.

"We're very happy we could help out." and Gwen.

For her and Fingers shake hands.

"I hope you'll find peace with your troubles, lady." he walks away. "Never forget something to be done and live a good life. I will do the same."

And there Fingers goes to aid other animals to stop other people like Dyle was...

"A lot to learn today, huh Gwen?" Terry hugs his girlfriend.

"And a lot more for my inner self to find peace from another like me."

You can say that again, Gwen.

"(Ah, yeah...I like to aid others who won't suffer like we did, Gweny. Now one bit. So, whatever...)

Gwen's other self as Batwoman really means well...Terry is wary because Fingers knows their secret but, seeing a kindred spirit, Bruce is unconcerned.

"I hope it's for the best." said Megan.

"I think he'll keep our identities a secret, Megan, there's no need to worry. He's a kindred spirit, if I've ever seen one." Bruce said.

For Fingers the gorilla, he's a kind one to be smart and such and stronger to change things now to save the animals and stop one person who destroyed his life...And now, a message of saving animal life to end this chapter/episode.

Tayla: In 2003, enterprising criminals in Southeast Asia realized that they could exploit a loophole in South Africa's hunting laws to move rhino horns legally across international borders. Normally, North Americans and Europeans account for the bulk of South Africa's rhino hunting permits. But that year, 10 Vietnamese "hunters" quietly applied as well.

Hunters are allowed to transport legally obtained trophies across borders under various international and domestic laws. The Vietnamese hunters each returned home with the mounted horn, head or even whole body of a rhino.

Word spread. Though Vietnam and other Asian countries have no history of big-game sport hunting, South Africa was soon inundated with applicants from Asia, who sometimes paid $85,000 or more to shoot a single white rhino.

That represented the beginning of an illicit industry referred to as pseudo-hunting — a first step toward the rhino poaching crisis that rages today. And the story of one of its chief practitioners shows the lengths to which criminals will go to move wildlife contraband.

No one knows just how many rhino horns were actually sent back to Asia as purported hunting trophies. South Africa has records of more than 650 rhino trophies leaving the country for Vietnam from 2003 to 2010 — goods worth some $200 million to $300 million on the black market. Vietnam, however, has corresponding paperwork for only a fraction.

To acquire more hunting permits, Mr. Chumlong hired more than two dozen women to pose as hunters. The women received around $550 just to hand over copies of their passports and to take a brief "holiday" with Mr. Chumlong and his men in South Africa.

Mr. Chumlong likely would have gotten away with the scheme were it not for Johnny Olivier, a fixer and interpreter in South Africa. Mr. Olivier worked for Mr. Chumlong, but after fifty or so rhino kills, his conscience began to nag at him.

"This is not trophies or whatever," Mr. Olivier told me he recollected thinking. "This is now getting into slaughtering, purely for money. These rhinos are my nation's inheritance."

Mr. Olivier discussed Mr. Chumlong's dealings with a private investigator, who began digging. The investigator eventually compiled 222 pages of evidence.

When the case went to court in 2012, South African prosecutors described Mr. Chumlong as the mastermind behind "one of the biggest swindles in environmental crime history." To Mr. Chumlong's shock, and that of many observers, he was sentenced to forty years in prison.

It was a punishment unheard-of in its severity, especially in a country with notoriously low rates of conviction for alleged wildlife crimes. Of 317 arrests related to rhino poaching in 2015, for example, just 15 percent resulted in guilty verdicts.

But Mr. Chumlong served nowhere near 40 years. In 2014, Mr. Chumlong's sentence was reduced to 13 years in prison, plus a fine of about $78,000.

Mr. Chumlong during a bail hearing following his arrest in Pretoria, South Africa, in 2011. He was granted early release this month after serving six Rademeyer

This month, South Africa granted Mr. Chumlong early release after serving six years. Amid an uproar of criticism from conservation groups and government officials, he was swiftly deported to Thailand.

It's not often you get to talk to a man convicted of systematic rhino slaughter. I interviewed Mr. Chumlong at the Pretoria Central Correction Center on a sunny Sunday morning in October 2016.

The guards led me into a spartan office where I found Mr. Chumlong seated on a bench near the wall, wearing an orange jumpsuit with "Corrections" written in circular patterns all over it. Wire-rimmed glasses framed his dark eyes, and his hair, once dyed black, was shaved short and gray, matching the stubble around his chin and upper lip.

I introduced myself, turned on my tape recorder and told him that I was there to hear his story. After some hesitation — he didn't appreciate how the press had depicted him in the past, without even speaking to him, he said — he agreed to talk.

"Can you tell me about your involvement with rhino hunting?" I began.

In a gush of broken English, Mr. Chumlong told me that he was a legitimate businessman who recruited Asian tourists to hunt in South Africa. "I get tourists to shoot, I get commission," he said. "I'm never poaching. I go legal way."

He described having what he thought were legitimate hunting permits, only to be arrested by the South African police for fraud and railroaded into jail after signing what he believed was an agreement to pay a fine.

Soon enough, he was practically shaking, his eyes wide, his voice high.

"He said lie to me, my lawyer! Rhino farmer go home, me go to jail 40 years!"

The way he told it, it did sound possible that Mr. Chumlong had been a scapegoat for savvier criminals who took advantage of his ignorance to help get rhino horns out of the country.

According to South African and Thai authorities and conservationists, Mr. Chumlong's boss was Vixay Keosavang, a Lao citizen once called the Pablo Escobar of wildlife trafficking. He has denied involvement in trafficking, and Mr. Chumlong told me he had not had any contact with Vixay Keosavang after his arrest.

"Vixay never talk. Only me, 'kingpin,'" Mr. Chumlong scoffed. "Company, friend, family — never talk to me."

South Africa tightened its sport hunting rules after Mr. Chumlong was arrested, and in the overall story of the illegal wildlife trade, pseudo-hunting proved a "temporary sideshow," as Ronald Orenstein, a conservationist, put it in his book "Ivory, Horn and Blood."

Straight-up poaching and trafficking now dominate. Yet many of the players are still the same.

Again and again, associates of Mr. Chumlong and Vixay Keosavang from a decade ago, or longer, have turned up in wildlife trafficking cases, among them Bach "Boonchai" Mai, arrested by the Thai police earlier this year.

But because of the way the poaching and trafficking networks work, taking down any one of these supposed kingpins will not stop the illegal trade.

To get their prize, rhino poachers — who are often desperately poor local men living on the fringes of parks and reserves — tend to sneak in under cover of darkness, sometimes during the full "poacher's moon," as it's often called.

Once in the park, they usually wait until first light to kill a rhino. Afterward, they may await well-organized pickups, or they may bury the horn for later retrieval. Others simply run home with the horn as quickly as they can.

After a horn — or a tusk, bag of bones, box of scales or other animal contraband — is smuggled out of a park, the goods are usually transferred along a chain of "runners" who take them to larger and larger cities. At some point, Asian businessmen based in Africa are likely to get involved — generally Vietnamese bosses for rhino horn, Chinese bosses for ivory.

Once the contraband begins its trafficking journey, the route often isn't direct. A China-bound ivory shipment may be sent first to Spain from Togo; a passenger carrying rhino horn may fly to Dubai before heading to Kuala Lumpur and then to Hong Kong.

This roundabout travel obscures the goods' true origin and destination, and the route often reflects the placement of compromised officials who allow for a smooth journey.

"People who operate in the legal field — in government or in the transportation or wildlife industry — play a vital role in ensuring that rhino horn or any other wildlife contraband passes along the supply chain," said Annette Hübschle-Finch, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cape Town's Center for Criminology.

"They are the gatekeepers and intermediaries. They provide the link between the bush and the market."

Trafficking bosses themselves are often also involved in legitimate and even well-known local businesses.

In the West, "organized criminals live in a somewhat parallel society," said Tim Wittig, a conservation scientist at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. But among wildlife traffickers, "the big criminals are typically also big business people."

"Usually, they're involved in logistics-type businesses — trading or shipping companies, for example — or in commodity-based ones, which is why it's easy for them to move things around," he added.

These individuals are sometimes referred to as kingpins, a term that experts say is overused.

"In some ways, chasing after a Mr. Big behind it all is a bit of a myth," said Julian Rademeyer, a project leader with Traffic, a conservation group, and author of "Killing for Profit: Exposing the Illegal Rhino Horn Trade."

One of the most important characteristics of poaching and smuggling networks is their diversity, according to Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert on international crime at the Brookings Institution in Washington.

While some networks are highly organized, others are completely dispersed. A dealer smuggling ivory out of an African port may not know the local boss overseeing poaching or the trader who eventually sells the contraband in Asia.

That is why these convictions, even high-profile ones like Mr. Chumlong's, usually have little effect on shutting down illegal trade — in wildlife, drugs or any other kind of contraband, Dr. Felbab-Brown pointed out.

Three recent arrests for illegal wildlife trafficking have received wide attention among conservationists: Feisal Mohamed Ali, charged with trafficking in ivory in Kenya; Abdurahman Mohammed Sheikh, another alleged ivory trafficker in Kenya; and Yang Fenglan, Tanzania's so-called queen of ivory. All have denied the charges and await trial.

But even if they were all eventually found guilty, Dr. Wittig noted, their trade would account only for a meager 10.9 tons of ivory over the past decade, or the equivalent of 1,500 elephants. By Dr. Wittig's estimate, the total amount they may have trafficked accounted for just 10 percent of African ivory smuggled over that period. Nor has poaching declined since those individuals were arrested.

"Arresting a few alleged wildlife-trafficking 'kingpins' may be a useful symbolic tool for promoting the importance and feasibility of strong enforcement to the general public," Dr. Wittig said. But "it is not likely to be effective in actually saving protected wildlife, especially if done in isolation."

Changing this largely depends on changing the way the world addresses illegal wildlife trade.

John Sellar, formerly chief of enforcement for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, has argued that we should instead just think of wildlife trafficking more simply as a crime, not a conservation issue.

But most of those tasked with fighting this type of crime are conservationists, rangers and wildlife managers. Mr. Sellar and other experts argue this job should instead be assigned to police, detectives, money-laundering experts and the courts.

That criminal groups dealing in wildlife tend to include multinational players further complicates investigations. Governments often do not share information or effectively collaborate across borders.

Dr. Wasser could produce a map showing officials and law enforcement exactly where they need to go to shut down the ivory trade in its current form. Yet most countries don't get around to sending him samples of poached ivory for a year or more after a seizure. Some refuse to share any samples at all.

"That's the hardest part for me, seeing how powerful a tool we have. Yet countries are so reluctant to let us use it," Dr. Wasser said.

Even officials within a country plagued by poachers may not cooperate. Police officers don't talk to customs officials who don't talk to rangers. Rangers don't have access to policymakers who don't consult conservation groups.

"The intelligence environment is like spy-versus-spy," said Ken Maggs, head ranger at Kruger National Park in South Africa.

Breaking up the decentralized criminal networks of poachers, experts say, will require the building of new networks among those who oppose the decimation of animal species. Arresting a few "kingpins" here and there will never be a substitute.

"If the genie in the bottle were to grant me just one wish to combat international wildlife crime, I would ask that everyone work more collaboratively," Mr. Sellar has written. "I remain convinced, utterly convinced, that we would make major inroads into combating international wildlife crime if we could only get our act together."

Rachel Nuwer is a regular contributor to Science Times and the author of "Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking," published on Sept. 25, from which this article is adapted.


	46. The Call

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 46 – The Call: Parts 1 and 2

The Justice League Unlimited heroes of the future, the best ones to be around to protect lives and stop bad guys:

*Mareena/Aquagirl - Like all Atlanteans, Mareena could breathe underwater and was a speedy and graceful swimmer. Her skin and strength were also tougher than a normal human's, to withstand deep sea pressures. Mareena inherited her father's ability to communicate telepathically with undersea life, including alien aquatic life forms like Starro. Her empathy gave her a more compassionate outlook than some of her comrades, though they sometimes dismissed it as naiveté. In the future, she also acquired hydrokinesis, a power her father also seemed to have.

*Barda Free/Big Barda - Big Barda possessed vast strength; sufficient she could lift a locomotive train with no difficultly. She also wielded a mega-rod. The Rod was durable enough to brace the shear forces of a collapsing building and could shoot powerful blasts and could also be used as a thruster. Barda made use of aero-discs; small Frisbee sized discs placed under her boots that permitted her to fly. In combat Barda wore armor that segmented over her body but when not in use retracted. Barda also has access to a Mother Box which allowed her to summon Boom tubes for interstellar travel. As a New God, Barda also possessed a natural degree of longevity, as she has shown no signs of aging in the years between the Apokoliptian Civil War and her time in the JLU.

*Kal-Ro/Green Lantern - Despite his young age, Kai-Ro showed remarkable maturity and wisdom. He had also been around the universe, and exhibited excellent proficiency with the Power ring. It is unknown how Kai-Ro received his ring, though the possible scenarios are that the ring chose him after the death or retirement of Kyle Rayner or John Stewart, both of who shared the duty of Earth's sector of space.

*Micron - Micron was capable of shrinking and growing his body to varying degrees, apparently at will. He was also able to fly.

*Rex Stewart/Warhawk - Being half-human, Warhawk lacked the organic wings of a Thanagarian, but he donned artificial wings harnessed in a remote retractable polynized aluminum steel casing. However, Warhawk apparently inherited his mother's super-strength, showcased by nearly matching blows with Superman. His suit could cover his entire body in armor, and could be piloted remotely. It also had retractable claws.

And the last two...

*Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman and *Helen Star aka Absorb Gal - Superman continued to manage the creatures he was previously imprisoned with to his Fortress of Solitude. One of these creatures seized control over Superman in the 2040's and held sway over him for several years. As Helen Star is half human to absorb elements to use and have super skills like Superman does.

In Metropolis, a commuter monorail loses control and starts speeding down the wrong track, on a collision course with another. Micron boards the train and manages to uncouple the passenger cars and evacuate the engineer to safety. However, as soon as Micron tries to exit the train, a force field pops over the door, making it impossible for him to escape.

"A force field?"

In the ensuing crash, Micron is badly wounded. Something must've happened to be a some type of set up...In Gotham City, Batman and Batwoman are chasing down Inque, who catches sight of a nearby civilian, and wraps herself around him to hold him hostage.

"(Batman! Inque has a hostage!)" Gwen was worried.

"Okay, you two. Back off. Unless you both want for me to put the squeeze on him." she said.

What can neither of them do...?

"Careful, Gweny. Bats. This witch means it." aid Batwoman.

However, the 'civilian' spins at superhuman speed, splattering Inque in all directions, and revealing himself to be Superman — a bit older, a bit grayer, but still as strong and active as ever.

"(He took Inque out by weakening her with very hot spin-like movement.)" said Gwen. "(Who is he?)"

Now the two see Superman who was a bit old but looks better like he did a while back.

"Superman!" surprised Batman.

"Wait...They Superman hero from Metropolis? No way!" and Batwoman.

Terry is awestruck as was Gwen and her other self. But that's not all...

"Hey!" Helen Star as Absorb Gal appears to use Inque's powers against the villain. "Don't forget about me."

She looks a bit older too and married to Jimmy Olsen, but Helen still has the skills.

"(And Helen Star as Absorb Gal too!)"

Soon Megan appears to have Inque taken away and get the bounty price.

"Batman. Batwoman. Is everything..." she sees two familiar faces. "Superman? Helen?"

"It's good to see you too, Megan, you see him around lately?" Clark/Superman asks Megan.

The four return to the Batcave, where Superman pauses to look at Bruce's more-familiar Batsuit in the display case before greeting his old friend.

"Hi, Bruce." Helen said to be hugging him.

For Megan was happy to see both Superman and Helen again, and Bruce to be smiling to be happy too.

"Nice to you both."

"You seem to be holding up pretty well." Superman said to Bruce.

"I could use some of that Kryptonian DNA." he makes a joke.

"You'll outlive us all, Bruce. You're too stubborn to die."

Kind of true, for Bruce sees Terry to be smiling about this for some strange reason.

"What are you smiling at?" he questions Terry.

"Nothing."

"It's amazing to see two other super heroes who Megan and Uncle Bruce worked for to still be friends." said Gwen. "Hi, I'm Gwen Grayson who's half human and clone with fire powers who's Batwoman. The other part of me to keep control of and stay strong. This is my boyfriend Terry McGinnis who's Batman."

Helen and Gwen shake on it.

"Reminds me of something..." said Megan.

"Yeah." Helen agrees. "The way I did when I was that young to control my powers to grow like my friend. Megan, I knew you would get married to Bruce."

"It was bound to happen sooner."

Those two were still friends to make another one like Gwen. Bruce requests that they cut through the small talk and asks Superman the reason he's visiting Gotham.

"I think it's time to ask your two Bat-family to join the Justice League with Helen and me." said Superman.

Superman responds that he wants to offer Terry and Gwen memberships in the JLU.

"The Justice League?!" surprised the two.

Helen explains it a bit more.

"Please...We need some help since there was some issues a few days ago with another member getting hurt."

Bruce ponders, due to Micron's injuries, if Terry is supposed to be a replacement, but Superman says that Terry has earned a spot and so does Gwen to prove on special she cane be as herself or Batwoman. He asks Bruce to approve of it as Terry's mentor, but he feels that it's not up to him, and the two legendary heroes silently await Terry's decision.

"I think this is their decision to make." so says Bruce.

"What do you say, you two?" ask Megan. "It'll be worth doing like Bruce and I did."

Terry is taken aback, but accepts Superman's invitation to visit the Watchtower for Gwen to join in too.

"Us in the Justice League, Terry, this will be a dream come true..."

"You sound happy, Gwen." Terry said to her.

"I heard so much about them when I was being studied on to be free at last to do something right. It's finally happening." said Gwen.

Terry and Gwen arrival are both immediately greeted with hostility from a surprised Big Barda and Warhawk, as Superman decided to invite them without first consulting his teammates first.

"Hey, we're sorry we did this but we had some issues." said Helen. "I mean come on people."

Kind of old, but Helen still sometimes acts like a teenager by heart.

"And like it or not, they're staying."

So says Batman. For Big Barda, Warhawk, Kal-Ro, and Aquagirl will get use to both Batman and Batwoman on the team.

"Whatever."

"Just keep out of my way, junior." Warhawk said to Batman. "Hawks eat rodents like you for breakfast."

"Forgive us."

"It's not you two, it's how we work on certain things..."

Terry receives a more civil but no less suspicious reception from Kai-Ro and Aquagirl. Superman insists that his decision is final and Helen as well, and his teammates walk out, leaving Terry to think this was a bad idea.

"(Rude!)"

Gwen almost forgot to mention the other part about her to Superman and Helen.

"Sorry, she does this. Only those who know my secret can see and hear my other self in spirit of fire." Gwen tells them. "She's good at heart, really because she's me...Still, not a good thing to happen for me to see something I want to be part of."

Not a good start, huh?

"Maybe this was a mistake." said Batman.

"No, I need someone I can trust. And that's the two of you."

In private, however, Superman confides to Terry, Gwen, and Helen 'only' that he suspects one of the League members of trying to sabotage and kill the others.

"It's because of this, things will get worse if we don't do something and fast." Helen tells them.

Superman reveals Micron's current state, as he is recuperating in a stasis tank. Superman explains to Terry and Gwen that Micron was taken down by a method that only an insider would know how to use.

"It could be one of the team, and I need both of your help to find out who's responsible for this mess." he said. "Please, only from the Bat-Family detective skills can solve this. Normal lives, you two are in love, but as crime fighters to work together a lot more."

"Yeah, that'll make us more friendlier." Batman said.

Well, what other choice do they have? This is very serious.

Terry is reluctant to suspect Earth's greatest heroes, but begins reviewing the files of each League member, even from Gwen's hacking skills to learn more about the members. Mareena (Aquagirl) appears and apologizes for her initial coolness, and invites Batman to join her on her training swim. He politely declines, as he has a lot of JLU homework to catch up on and Batwoman was also busy.

"Listen, we would if I can get use to swimming in water." said Gwen. "(I doubt Mareena would be a bad person.)"

"(No thank you!)" Batwoman argued.

"I see...We have suits to allow you to go in." she said. "Maybe later."

Once Mareena leaves, Terry and Gwen watch her entering the tank through security cameras, along with the rest of the League in other parts of the tower: Big Barda and Warhawk are practicing in a training room, while Kai-Ro meditates in a quiet garden sanctuary.

"Got anything?" Megan contacts them first to check up.

Terry contacts Bruce, revealing he can't imagine how any of them could be traitors. However, having been betrayed before himself, Bruce tells Terry to continue to work as the answers are there somewhere.

"Keep looking, you two. Something might show up." said Bruce. "Terry?"

Having looked away during the conversation, Batman turns back and sees that the camera focused on Mareena has gone blank, rushes down, and sees her in trouble.

"Aquagirl!"

Something was happening for Gwen to get Batwoman to back her up.

"Okay, now you take over...Burning passion. Batwoman!" she transforms.

Terry and Gwen discover the tank to be malfunctioning as it's beginning to overheat, and the door refuses to respond to the controls.

"This is bad...!" said Batman.

"(I can't hack into the system to open the water gate for us!)" Gwen thought of an idea. "(Wait...The waters hot then maybe...Do it!)"

Terry's initial attempts to break open the door fail, he rushes to the training room, seizes Barda's mega-rod from her hand, then runs back and blasts the door open, flooding the antechamber with water for Batwoman to jump right in with some gadgets to use and rescuing Mareena.

"You got her!"

"Wow!" said Batwoman. "And for once, I'm not weaken by this type of water."

While alive, Mareena has been injured, and Barda demands Batman to explain 'what he did', but Mareena defends him revealing the tank malfunctioned.

"It wasn't their fault..." she said.

"Well, you should've called us." said Warhawk.

Warhawk asks why didn't he call them through the intercoms; Terry can only admit that he didn't think of it while Barda cuts him off.

"That's right, none of you did."

She takes Mareena from him and berates Batman for acting without the others and leaves with Warhawk.

"(We were only trying to help...)"

Superman, Helen, Gwen, and Terry investigate the tank's control panel, finding it has been sabotaged.

"It was no doubt done to be hacked like Megan's skills, but not in a good way, Clark." Helen checks it out. "The wires on this machine's busted to fix it to be a while."

"Even I can't pull it off." said Gwen.

"Then it's true...There's a traitor amongs us."

Superman confirms his suspicions: there is a traitor among the group. Later, Terry does a flyby patrol of Metropolis while at the same time confiding his feelings to Bruce, revealing how everyone in the League except for Aquagirl doesn't want him to join.

"Well, maybe Aquagirl." Terry/Batman explains to Bruce. "But I had to save her life to win her over."

By one member to trust in Batman and Batwoman so far that is.

"That's one way to make friends." Bruce says back.

Just then, a distress call comes, saying that a large portion of the city is threatened by a series of explosions.

"I can put out the fire!"

"(Then let's go.)" Gwen said to her other self.

The League, including Batman and Batwoman, help save civilians and minimize the damage even from Batwoman getting a lot of fire to absorb and Helen using some type of ice to cool the rest of it off.

"Hey, you're not bad, other half of Gwen." said Helen. "I'm glad you're a member."

"And I hope to do this a lot more later once we find the loser who's the traitor first." she said back.

"Oh, come on...That's my line."

On the other parts of town, Batman is accompanying Warhawk, who apparently receives another distress call on the JLU frequency. Batman, confused, says he is not receiving anything. Warhawk dismisses this and tells Batman to stay behind, while he flies up to meet the threat — an incoming ballistic missile. Batman ignores him and follows along in the Batmobile. Warhawk seals his armor and clamps onto the missile, pushing it off course. Batman congratulates him when suddenly the missile explodes, taking Warhawk with it and embedding his helmet in the windshield of the Batmobile.

"What just happened?!" Helen tries contacting Batman. "Batman? Can you hear me?! Is Warhawk with you?!"

"(Batman?!)"

The explosion from the missile causes the Batmobile to crash down to the city, where Batman retrieves Warhawk's helmet.

"Wait...Warhawk's dead?!" shock Batwoman. "Ah, man..."

"It can't be!" same with Helen.

The rest of the team arrives and are devastated over Warhawk's death for Gwen can't feel him out to be anywhere in the area.

"(I don't feel him out to be anywhere else...)" said Gwen.

Barda demands to know happened and Batman begins to explain, revealing how they were following a distress call, but the rest of the team reveal they never got a signal either.

"We didn't get a call." so says Barda.

"None of us did." said Kal-Ro.

And the same thing with Helen, Kal-Ro, and Aquagirl didn't get it either. Batman further reveals that only Warhawk got the message, but Barda doesn't believe him.

"Like they'll get you two anywhere." she said.

Superman arrives and tells Barda to back off on her accusation, telling everyone that once they find out who set the bombs then they'll be closer to finding Warhawk's killer.

"Helen, see that our friends get this from Gotham." he tells her.

"On it."

In the Batcave, Bruce and Megan try to work together as they review the footage from the Batmobile's recorder.

"Got anything, Uncle Bruce? Megan?" Gwen asks them.

More hacking to be done...

"Believe me, Gwen, I want to solve this one on my own while you do the other hacking job. I'm not an octopus here." Megan makes a joke. "Still, who would want Micron and Warhawk dead if it's one of the Justice League members...? None of this makes any sense, Bruce."

Terry speculates that the missile must have been on some kind of timer and Warhawk was unlucky, but Bruce doesn't buy it. Bruce applies a spectral analysis, which shows the missile being hit by a beam of some kind just before it exploded.

"Someone set it off to blow up the missile." he found something. "See? From from the left side down below."

They found it ot be a type of laser beam for Megan to pick up on it too.

"Yeah, I got it...Type of heat vision."

Bruce tracks the beam back to its source: Superman's heat vision.

"Superman...!" shock Terry.

"It can't be..." same with Gwen. "But how could he?"

"Ah, no way!" and Megan. "Does Megan know about this yet?"

"(I did not this that coming!)"

"Superman's the traitor..."

As unbelievable as it seems, the traitor is Superman himself.

Terry and Gwen prepare to go back to Metro Tower determined to warn the others, but Bruce states he needs to do more.

"Wait, you can't stop Superman like this. Let alone Helen can't do it alone." said Bruce. "If Jake were still alive, then...There is another way to stop it."

"Both Bruce and I plan this for a long time coming, just in case." Megan helps out her husband. "Gwen. Terry. You have to do this for us."

Bruce reveals a hidden vault behind the Bat costume display case, and unlocks an ultra-high-tech, high security system, giving Terry and Gwen their only recourse: inside a lead container lies a large sliver of Kryptonite about the size of a nail.

"This isn't the first time Superman's gone rogue, so I made sure I'd be ready if it ever happened again." Bruce tells them. "Megan and I always hoped I'd never have to use it."

Surprising, this was the only way to stop Superman's madness. Bruce explains that this is not the first time Superman went rogue, but even though he entrusted Bruce with the green mineral should anything happen to him, Bruce hoped he would never have to use it.

"Kryptonite."

"A very dangerous weakness to Superman and Helen, but for Superman as a traitor... (Are we willing to do all of this?)" Gwen was worried. "(I know I sense something far more than betrayal.)"

"This...This could kill him, right?" Terry asks Bruce.

"Do whatever it takes, but make sure you two stop him."

"And without getting Helen hurt on this one, she needs to know and the others somehow." Megan tells them.

While the radiation might prove fatal to Superman, Bruce orders Terry and Gwen to do whatever necessary to stop the Man of Steel. Reluctantly, Terry accepts the Kryptonite. Removing a belt compartment and extending a pair of retractable tweezers from it, he stores the shielded mineral at his waist. For the lovers both agree to pull this off and stop this for good.

"Gwen, we have to."

"I know, Terry, we do."

Tayla: By the way, remember Jake Star? Helen's little half brother with magic powers he was trained by Zatanna after her father past away? Yeah, he died from cancer from his mother side to risk his life to save Supergirl, Superman, and Helen from the Kryponite thing to end so soon. Sad huh? But his spirit lives on to give Helen the powers to heal her arm and absorb anything throughout her entire body to fight back. For her, Superman, Bruce, and Megan will miss him. Now, back to our story...

Batman and Batwoman show the footage to the rest of the JLU, excluding Superman.

"So, remember how the missile blew up...Well, this is how!" said Batwoman.

"(It's true, please believe in us...)"

For Helen didn't think Superman would do it again without being brainwashed for her had trouble accepting it.

"No way...Superman?!" she was shock.

Barda, having known Superman the longest, refuses to believe it, instead suspecting Terry of fabricating it.

"Why would I believe in you, Batman." Barda questions him. "Even Batwoman here...How do we not know it was all a set up?"

"It's not!"

Not good to be fighting right now.

"(Stop! No more mean talk!)" said Gwen.

"This is pointless!" same with Helen. "Let's at least see what's causing Superman to be like this."

The two quickly begin to argue and Batman, finally having enough of Barda's attitude towards him, reveals they won't be able to figure anything out until she sees things clearly and stops being "pigheaded".

"Look, Helen's right. We need to think about this and not be so pigheaded about this."

Now he has done it...

"Pig head?!" angered Barda.

Angered, Barda attacks Batman but before she can do any further harm to him, Kai-Ro stops her and traps her with his ring, while Mareena tends to Batman.

"We got them."

"Enough is enough, please."

Barda demands to be released but Kai-Ro refuses until she calms down. They suddenly they hear a voice agreeing with Kai-Ro: Warhawk reveals himself to be alive and well.

"Yeah, Barda, calm down." Warhawk said.

"Hey, he's alive!" Helen was happy.

Everyone is overjoyed Warhawk is alive and when asked of how he survived, he confides that he became suspicious when he received a distress signal when Batman nor Batwoman didn't, and thus what tackled the missile was an empty suit of armor, remotely controlled.

"I wasn't in the armor. I was operating it by remote. That's the only reason I'm not dust right now."

"Very shrewd." said Kal-Ro. "Not like you."

Warhawk has also gained new respect for Terry and Gwen because of their refusal to stay behind, and believes his suspicions of Superman.

"I told him not to tag along, but he disobeyed. I like that." he said.

"(I'm glad you're alive and well, Warhawk.)" said Gwen.

"Yep! Gave up kind of a scared." and Batwoman. "Now you believe in us, Absorb Gal?"

Seems like it...

"Then we have no other choice."

"Let's talk to Superman." Kal-Ro agrees.

"Fine, let him explain...And then I'll rip his arms off." said Warhawk.

The team confronts Superman, caught in the act of tampering with Micron's stasis field. Superman becomes defensive and denies their accusations.

"(Wait...)" Gwen was getting something. "(Don't go near Superman!)"

Mareena steps forward to reassuringly touch his chest, when to their shock an alien eye pops a hole in his tunic, and Superman attacks for no one not even Batwoman's fire powers or Helen's abilities can't stop him.

"Ew!" grossed out Helen. "What is that thing?!"

The others are no match for him like the two girls, and Batman is about to use the Kryptonite, but hesitates, and the belt compartment is knocked out of his hand. Micron, awakened from stasis, seizes hold of Superman, which allows Batman to retrieve the Kryptonite from a vent it fell in. Superman breaks free and knocks Micron out, but is forced away from confronting Batman by Barda's mega-rod and flies away.

"Superman, that thing...!" Helen couldn't save her friend. "Wait!"

"I can't...!" he takes off.

So...Now what? Micron is returned to stasis while Warhawk is treated, and Kai-Ro searches for any news sightings on Superman but finds nothing. Terry admits his hesitation to Bruce, because of Superman being one of the greatest heroes that ever lived and thinking that there must have been another way; Bruce notes that now (because of Superman's power) Terry knows better.

"Bruce, don't blame Terry. Gwen's probably the same thing and Helen's sad." Megan tells her husband. "You save a friend than let Clark die, right?"

She makes a very good point.

"I know, Megan, but what if the thing on him can't be stopped?"

The others speculate that Superman has escaped to his Fortress of Solitude, and although none of them know where it is, Terry knows that Bruce does for Megan gives Gwen a map.

"Gweny, give this to Bats."

"(I'm sure this can help us.)" she said. "(Listen, Helen, we will save Superman. I promise.)"

Helen Star knows that Superman can be saved and stop the alien who's controlling him to take a lot of team work.

"If any case, I'm coming too. I better bring some led to protect me from the weakness you'll use on him. Do it right." Helen was in. "If I know for something to guide us, I too know where it is by flight."

The team boom-tubes to the Fortress, and find some cage was open to getting out, and leftovers.

"You see those blue things?" Kal-Ro points out to Batman.

"What is it, food?" he asked.

"Used to be."

It was poop to gross Batman out.

"Ha! Bats touched alien poop!" Batwoman laughs.

"Still, whatever got out, it could be dangerous in this place." said Helen. "Let's search around some more."

And that's where Superman waiting.

"(Helen!)" Gwen warns her.

She become led to protect herself in time.

"Do it, Batman!"

After a brief fight, Batman manages to disable him with the Kryptonite. Pulling off his tunic, they see a starfish-like creature planted on his skin.

"Whatever it is, it's gross." Batwoman tries to burn it off to hurt Superman a little. "And...That didn't work. Now what?"

Galactic travelers Kai-Ro and Barda have never seen one, and Kai-Ro doesn't know how they can separate an unknown alien from another alien being. For Helen might know what it is, and Gwen could so much hate to be powerful when controlling someone.

"Whatever it is, it appears to have somehow imbedded itself into his skin." said Kal-Ro.

"Any chance of getting it off?" Batman asked.

Same with Batwoman.

"Or me to stop it without hurting the Man of Steel himself?"

"I must remind you, this not just one alien species before us, it's two, and I do not yet understand the subtleties of their interaction."

So, they got a big problem...

"I'll take that as an: 'I don't know'." said Warhawk.

"Then there has to be a way..." same with Barda.

Then it came to Helen.

"Wait...Yeah, I think I know what it is. Superman and I saved this one and the other aliens here from the Collector!"

"(Excuse me?)" Gwen was lost.

"I think someone will explain for us." Helen asks for Aquagirl's help. "Mareena, use your powers to tell the others about this creature."

Mareena connects telepathically with it 'since she was born with a gift besides having powers from her father Aquaman's side', and they all learn of the strange alien's story:

Several centuries ago, the creature occupied an aquatic world, but was abducted from its home by the Preserver. The Preserver later kidnapped Superman and Helen, but Superman and her broke free and sent the Preserver into space to his death. Having no way to return the beings to their rightful worlds, Superman adopted the collection of creatures and housed them in the Fortress. Though it was still little more than a prisoner, now Starro had a plan: Starro decided to gain control of Superman since it witnessed the Kryptonian's strength. Since it couldn't work on Helen to have some powers given to the spirit of Jake, so Starro can't on a half breed. Aliens like Superman, yes it could. Decades later while Superman was feeding the star creature, it leaped onto his face and took control of his mind. It has been controlling him for years to be growing.

"It took over Superman's mind, it's been on him for years." she said.

"(So that's why Gweny was getting a funny feeling to have Superman good but control by something evil. Wow.)"

"I still think it's gross." said Helen.

The others ask why then has it waited so long before trying to kill the rest of them.

"Years?" questioned Warhawk. "Then hasn't it killed us yet?"

Mareena opens a door to another chamber, and sees hundreds, maybe thousands of the star creatures nesting in an underground pool; under the creature's direction, Superman was breeding them.

"There's a lot of them."

"Enough to be spreading all over the ocean." Batman points out.

"(So how can we stop them?)" ask Gwen. "(We have to do it now before it takes over everyone all ovr the world. It's like one of those monster movies, and I don't want to be part of it at all.)"

There are now enough of them to possess a large portion of the planet. As they look closer, several other creatures jump out of the pool and attach themselves to the other Leaguers.

"Hey, get off-!" Batwoman gets caught as well. "Crap!"

"(Batman!)"

Only Batman remains free, able to electrocute them off his Batsuit.

"Batwoman!" he sees his girlfriend was in danger.

Well, both he and Helen with her ice powers gets out of this mess.

"Not happening!" she was freed to see everyone but Batman to be mind controlled. "This is bad...!"

Superman is released, and the Kryptonite shard is flung away. The others attack Batman and Helen, but they flee in the Batmobile, sent by Bruce as a precaution.

"Better leave the flying to me, Helen."

"Either way, we'll save your girlfriend and the others, Terry, I know we will." she said to Batman. "Listen, Bruce. Megan. We got a code blue here, a very under water issue of chaos if we let those...things get out! Superman, the other members, and Gwen are all being taken over!"

This was bad.

"Not Gwen too!" shock Megan. "Bruce, we have to do something!"

Bruce can only suggest informing the military through Commissioner Barbara Gordon to ensure that the creatures don't escape; as their job would be to bomb the Fortress, Terry turns the option down.

"But they'll bomb the place!"

"That's their job." Bruce tells Terry/Batman. "I'm worried about Gwen and Superman to be stuck in this mess, believe me."

Starro/Superman pursues along with Starro/Batwoman joining him, while the others prepare to open an underwater door that will release the creatures into the ocean.

"Incoming double trouble!" Helene alerts Terry.

"What's the top speed on this thing?" Batman asks Bruce.

"Mach 3." he said.

A good thing there or not enough? That's what worried Batman.

"Is that faster than a speeding bullet?"

Starro catches up with the Batmobile and cuts off one side with Superman's heat vision and another from Batwoman's fire powers to melt the rest.

"This is really bad...!" Helen starts to worry.

Starro confronts Batman and Helen, offering them a chance to 'be one of us'.

"There's no way out of this one, Batman. You too, Helen, I want for you to understand like Batwoman has." he said. "Come, become part of us."

"No thanks!"

Batman declines, luring Starro close enough to hit it with a grapple from the Batmobile that electrocutes the creature, disrupting its control and allowing Superman to pull it off his chest and Helen have some electrical powers to help Superman break free.

"Superman! Fight back!" she said.

"Helen!" and he does.

With Superman freed, Gwen was next to have Helen take care of it once Batman crack the watery ice to break.

"Free her!" said Batman.

With one cold water power to absorb next, soaking Gwen to feel weak, allowing for her and the other self to break free next.

"Oh, no you...DIDN'T!"

She couldn't use any fire right now, but Batwoman elbows Starro in the eye to killing it...Ew!

"Gwen!" Batman runs up to hug and kiss Gwen to be happy to have her back.

"Terry! I'm free thanks to you and Helen, thank you." she said. "But how's Superman doing?"

Like her, Superman recovers, not remembering what he's been doing.

"What happened...I don't remember..." weak but Superman recovers quickly.

Terry quickly fills him in as they fly back to the Fortress.

"We'll explain on the way there, think you can still fly?"

"Batman needs a ride, but for Batwoman and I can still manage." said Helen.

Three of them but one could fly...

"Yeah, I can recover quickly to fire up on those things..." said Batwoman. "Let's turn the heat up!"

The four arrived back to the place to stop Starro and free the others quickly. Superman attacks, freeing Warhawk, Helen uses her heat visions to do the same on Barda, and both Batman and Batwoman use their electric Batarangs on Kai-Ro from the spawn, while Batman dives into the pool to stop Mareena opening the door, but he is too late.

"(She's releasing the Starro armies!)"

"I don't think my powers can hold them all off!" said Helen. "This looks bad!"

Superman starts tearing huge rocks free and dropping them down, saying they have to block the exit at any cost, even if it means killing Batman and Mareena.

"He knew what he was getting into." he said. "Helen. Batwoman. Please help me. If those get into the world's waters, it'll be the end for all of us."

The others reluctantly aid him.

"I'm going to regret doing this!" Batwoman tries to warm up the waters on the side they were in. "This won't be enough to boil them all, but enough to slow them down."

They succeed in blocking the entrance and Batman to electrocute the rest allowing Batwoman's fire to weaken them with hot water a bit, knocking out Mareena, but Batman narrowly saves both her and himself. Superman's heat vision stuns the spawn attached to her for removal for Helen gets rid of it for good.

"We did it!" said the happy Helen.

"(Almost.)" Gwen says something else. "(We still need to do something to all of the Starro family so this will never happen again.)"

The League collects all of the creatures into a Lantern-construct tank, with Starro, struggling away from the electrified grapple, being the last one.

"So, where should I boom them to?" Barda asks Superman. "Some empty galaxy? Or maybe the surface of the sun?"

"Barda, these creatures never asked to come here. We have no right to kill them."

From the sound and looks of things, Superman was normal again to not be controlled anymore.

"Back to his old self again." said Warhawk.

Barda and Warhawk are all for exterminating them, but Superman refuses as it was never their choice to leave home.

"We should send them home." said Aquagirl.

"But how do we know where that is?" asked Kal-Ro.

Mareena communicates with Starro, and discovers the location of their home world for Helen to know of the name for Gwen to type it and get it.

"We got something."

"I think this is the place you're feeling out, Mareena." Helen shows her. "Try this one."

She borrows Barda's Mother Box and booms them to the coordinates, where Kai-Ro drops them into their native ocean. Starro is finally home, and with so many living spawn, given a chance to reestablish its species from near extinction.

"(Goodbye, Starro family. We knew you were scared to take over us, but this planet is your real home. Live free. All of us have forgiven you.)" said Gwen. "(I'm glad it all worked out. And being mind control was scary...)"

As scary as it was, it all worked out for Superman's still good after all.

"Nah, we pull through didn't we? You and the others are fine." said Helen to pat on Gwen's back. "You and Batman on our team a anytime. Thanks again."

"(You're welcome, Helen.)"

Terry has now earned the heartfelt respect and gratitude of the other Leaguers and the same with Gwen, who are eager for them to join.

"You think you two can get use to it?" Superman asks them both.

But Terry can't overlook that the others almost sacrificed him and Mareena.

"It'll be fine."

"You guys do play it rough." said Batman.

Barda reminds him that joining full-time will put him one up on the first Batman, who wasn't always a team player, to which Terry coolly replies that maybe he and Bruce have something in common after all.

"Come on, it'll put you one up on the old Batman or his wife." Barda tells Batman and Batwoman. "He never made it past part-timer. Well, Megan Tsuki was a lot more."

"Yeah, he wasn't what you'd call a joiner."

True, Superman, but there's hope to always have people like Bruce and Megan, and a bit more from the two crime fighting duos.

"Maybe he and I have something in common after all." he said to then leave. "We might help out from time to time. Batwoman, let's go home for now."

"So much for that..." said Batwoman. "We'll be in touch. I'll give a good word to the old man and bounty hunter lady!"

For Batwoman to say that and Gwen bowing to everyone to see them again real soon.

"(Ah, we'll come back. And thank you for having us part of the team, you're truly heroes. And for stopping the aliens there to sealing the water hole, I know it had to be done. Helen, can we hang out sometimes...?)"

"If nothing bad's happening, then okay. But we have to bring Megan along for the ride." she said. "See you and Batman later, Batwoman in a half."

The two shake on it to becoming friends, and Gwen/Batwoman catches up with Terry/Batman to go back to Gotham.

"(Thanks...)" she catches up to her boyfriend. "(Hey, Batman! Wait up!)"

As Terry and Gwen walked away to the Batmobile, Superman fondly comment for him, Helen, and the other members see that Batman and Batwoman are always welcome on the Justice League, and they are. For Megan and Bruce to also help out from time to time to be happy for what did happen afterwards to hug, the two are needed more in Gotham. For their job and their love was strong, as Helen was still part of the team to be with her friend/father side of Superman always; along with Micron 'to be healed now', Aquagirl, Barda, Warhawk, and Kal-Ro.

"More than you think, son. More than you think." he said. "They'll be back like our old Batman and Megan did."

"You said it, Clark, we all need other super heroes on the team besides us." Helen said back. "And good friends."

Good point there to have the future of today's Justice League Unlimited group along with Batman and Batwoman in it sometimes too. I guess it all goes to show you – when you're a team player you learn sometimes to sacrifice for it, if needed be, to then saving many lives in the end once the threat is done like from Batman ad Aquagirl underwater, to do it for a real really. You know? Yeah, we all know it.


	47. Betrayal

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 47 – Betrayal

Just outside Gotham City, an armored truck drives down the road and suddenly comes across a large fallen truck blocking the road. The guards decide to investigate in spite of suspicions that the accident is a trap. They soon discover that it is in fact a trap and Big Time is inside waiting for them. Using his massive strength, he topples the armored truck and punches his way in. The guards manage to send out a distress signal, however, and it's picked up by Batman and Batwoman.

"(Big Time's back?)" surprised Gwen. "How do you want to handle this one, Terry?)"

"Let's head on over there."

He really wants to stop Big Time by any means to have both Gwen with her other half and Bruce to worry.

"You really going there?" Bruce asks Terry.

"I have to, Bruce. We both have to." he said back.

Both Batwoman and Batman headed out to investigate but Bruce advises him to stay out of it because of the former connection between Big Time and Terry.

"Terry, leave this to the police."

"Why should I do that?" Terry/Batman asks Bruce.

Sounds and looks like Terry was really hurt deep down for Bruce and Gwen could tell.

"Because Charlie 'Big Time' is your friend." said Bruce.

Terry ignores Bruce's inhibitions and goes to deal with the crime.

"Was my friend."

Yeah, was once Terry's friend until the chemicals turn Charlie into a mutant criminal.

"Sorry, Gweny, but we're doing this." Batwoman said to her real self. "Fine, Bats, but we're keeping an eye on you."

Meanwhile, Big Time starts pulling sacks out of the armored truck but the police arrive to stop him. His strength proves to be too much for them to handle and he easily manages to disable them. Only for Batwoman to enter in first to start up a fire to slow down Big Time.

"Batwoman?!"

"Hey, remember me Big Time? I'm a certain person you try to mess with one of my friend!" she fires up. "It's payback time..."

And then Batman arrives and starts fighting Big Time but even he isn't fully prepared for Big Time's strength.

"(Batman, stop! You can't stop Big Time on your own!)" Gwen tells her lover/partner. "(Let me help you!)"

This not like him, huh? To stop his old friend and protect Gwen from Big Time almost having his way with her the last time...I think he was worried about his girlfriend's safety. Still, Batman nearly manages to capture Big Time but he's stopped by a rogue police car driven by Major, the mob boss that planned this.

"Great..."

"Ah, hello? Bats? What's gotten into you tonight?!" Batwoman questions Batman. "This is really unlike you!"

While making their escape, Major muses over the great teamwork of his brains and Big Time's strength but Big Time is insulted, insisting that he's just as smart as he was before the accident and he can offer more than just strength. For Megan to lose sight of Big Time, she places a tracker on the vehicle to find it soon enough for Gwen and Terry to do the rest for her.

"(I did what I could do for Bruce's sake and mine. Leave the rest to the lovers...Well, if Terry can think things through this mess.)"

Back in the Batcave, Terry notices that Bruce believes that he allowed Big Time to escape because he still thinks of him as a friend.

"He got away with someone working with him..." Terry stops to notice something from Bruce. "Wait a minute. You're thinking I didn't do everything I could to stop him because he used to be my friend."

"I never said that." he said.

"You didn't have to."

"Wait, Terry." Gwen stops her boyfriend. "That's not true, Uncle Bruce's worried about you. So am I and Megan. You looked worried from stopping Big Time alone, you could've been killed!"

A bit overboard there if you ask me...

"I was just protecting you, Gwen, after what Charlie as Big Time try to do to you!" he said.

"I know...I love you, Terry, and we help out one another. But you don't have to protect me a lot, I can fight back."

"(And you need to clear your mind, mister!)" said Gwen's other self.

Not a god time to make jokes like this one.

"You're not helping!" Gwen said to her other self.

Disgusted, Terry leaves.

"Gwen, he just needs time." Bruce tells her. "He's mad at himself from this mess to be worried about you."

I sure hope so...Elsewhere, Major talks to another crime boss over the phone, offering him a chance to get in on his operations. During the conversation, Major indicates that he's got Big Time as a thug. Big Time overhears this, loses his patience and claims that he doesn't like not having any of his own friends in on the business and that Major isn't treating him like a partner. Major calms him by saying that they're just doing what they do best and he'll give Big Time a chance when he thinks he's ready. The next day, Terry talks with Maxine about the incident with Big Time and Bruce's belief.

"Terry...?"

"Hey, Gwen, you know I wasn't mad at you, right?" Terry hugs to kissing Gwen on the cheek. "Never with you. But I do want to protect you so much."

"A lot to get you two a room." Max makes a joke.

For them to be blushing, and what Terry and Gwen told Max about Big Time.

"You haven't told me what you think Max."

"You mean do I agree with the old man?" she said to Terry. "And you worrying about Gwen here, little worry-wart you are, Terry. But that's not something I try not to make a habit of."

"Me too." Terry agrees. "The problem is he's usually right."

Bruce Wayne knows what he thinks of best at times to be right but not wrong in a bad way. But in Terry's mind, it's his fault that Big Time mutated.

"If it haven't been for me, the chemicals who turned my once bad friend into a monster...This would never happen to him at all."

"And It's not your fault, Terry." Gwen said. "It was the bad people he was working for. We could've saved him. And I won't let Big Time take me again because I'll be ready."

Gwen does have a good point there...Max assures him that it's not the case and that Terry shouldn't feel at all guilty about Charlie's condition.

"And you blame yourself because of it?" Max asks Terry. "Let me tell you something...Charlie was always a monster. Only now his outside matches his insides."

"(Maxie makes a very good point there. Sorry, man.)" and Gwen's inner self too.

However, before the conversation can continue, a car pulls up and a group of thugs grabs Terry.

"Terry! Leave him alone-!"

Terry, Gwen, and Max resist and during the fight, Terry drops his backpack. For Max and Gwen to be pushed aside.

"Max! Gwen!" Terry get tackled.

The thugs manage to get him into the car and drive off, leaving Max and Gwen with the batsuit. For Gwen couldn't use her powers to hurt Terry a lot to not catch up to the car in time to take off with her boyfriend.

"Gwen, we'll get Terry back." Max said to her friend. "Please...Let's plan this out before you go as Batwoman."

Max was right for Gwen had to tell Bruce about it. They both contact Bruce and frantically explains the situation to him.

"This is bad, Uncle Bruce..."

"Gwen, we'll find him. I told Megan to keep her eyes on anything strange in the area to tracking him down." Bruce then asks about the suit and heads over when he finds out that Max has it. "What about the suit? Did he have it with him?"

Not really, since Terry left it behind.

"He dropped it. I've got it right here." she shows it to Bruce on the monitor.

"It's right here." said Gwen.

"I'll be right over." Max looks at the mask and her computer rings. "Don't even think of putting it on."

For a moment, Max considers wearing the suit but Bruce calls back and tells her not to.

"How did he know...?" Max was lost.

"(Don't look at me!)" said Gwen's other half.

Elsewhere, Big Time removes a blindfold from Terry's eyes and offers him a chance to join up with him. He shows Terry a room filled with all the stuff they wanted back when they were friends and claims that it can be Terry's if he partners up. Terry still refuses to join him. Big Time pleads with him claiming that he needs Terry because he has no other friends. Terry gets even angrier realizing that Big time is doing this for himself. Terry continues to refuse and Big Time grows furious. Major runs in on Big Time's rampage and is disgusted at Big Time's stupidity in bringing in an outsider. An argument ensues between the two of them and Terry takes the opportunity to escape since Megan finds him to give a ride out.

"Terry, get in!"

Major's thugs start shooting at Terry and Big Time is sent after him.

"Get him!" Major gives the orders.

Terry manages to evade the thugs easily enough but soon finds himself caught by Big Time.

"Megan! Get away!" he tries to warn her.

Like she wasn't going to be go down without a fight.

"Big Time, step away from Terry or I will shoot you...! Do it!"

Fortunately, Big Time can't bring himself to kill Terry but claims he's now afraid for his life.

"I can't do it...!" he stops. "I don't care if it kills me."

With Megan lowering her gun a bit, Terry tries to convince Big Time to go to the police and that he'll find a way to get Major caught without him thinking he double-crossed him.

"Charlie, please. Megan, stand down." Terry tries to talk to his friend again. "You have to go to the cops, Megan here understands."

"I can't do that either. They'll never protect me once Major finds out I let you go."

Big Time is reluctant, but when Terry tells him that he will have his employer, Bruce Wayne, use his resources to finding Big Time a cure, he agrees.

"We can make it happen, Charlie. Bruce will be doing for me more than you." Terry said. "And Megan will let the police go easy on you."

She agrees with this whole thing.

"Yeah, what he said." Megan said back.

Terry goes to the police with Megan, but Big Time refuses, saying that he's afraid something may go wrong.

"I'll stay here, Terry, I promise. Take your friend and go."

Knowing that the shooting will not go unnoticed, Major has his goons pack up his valuables and run. Major is unconcerned that he's leaving without Big Time since he figures Big Time will be easy to find. Major and his gang try to drive off, but run into a police barrier. They realize that someone tipped off the police, but Major is sure that it's not Big Time. Determined not to be taken in, Major and his thugs start a shoot out and Major tries to escape but Commissioner Barbara Gordon and Megan Tsuki stop him.

"Oh. no...!" Major gives up now.

And the two girls arrests him and his goons.

"Now that's team work, huh Barbara?" said Megan.

"Good times for you and I. I love my job."

Later, Terry, Megan, and Barbara go to Big Time's hiding place and find that he's gone.

"Why am I not surprised? Why...?" He kicks himself over being fooled so easily and sadly walks the streets.

Leaving Barbara and Megan to search around Gotham some more.

"We'll get on it, Terry." said Barbara. "Megan, patrol the streets with me."

"Sorry, Terry. Really I am."

Terry then runs into Big Time, who claims that he was never going to go to the police and that it was all part of his plan to get rid of the Major and take over his operations. He explains that he used Terry to notify the police, so that no one in the Major's circle would believe that it was Big Time himself who turned on him. He also reveals that he doesn't want a cure, because his newfound power gives him respect. Angered at Terry's refusal to join him, Big Time prepares to kill him, but Bruce arrives and runs him over with his limo for Gwen sees her boyfriend to be saved to go as Batwoman to join with him.

"Gwen, you and Terry know what to do. Show him you can fight back." he said.

"On it, Uncle Bruce!" she hugs Terry quickly to go change. "Come on!"

"You got it, Gwen. Man, I love a woman who's but cute and tough looking."

Bruce quickly throws Terry his backpack and prepares to hit Big Time again. As Terry suits up as Batman and Gwen as Batwoman.

"Burning passion. Batwoman!"

Seems to be working so far...But he catches the car and hurls it into a building. Big Time smashes the car and tries to kill Bruce, but Batman attacks him and drives him off. To get a powerful kick burn to the face and more for the stick goop to blinding Big Time does work, until he pulls them off.

"Not you two again!" angered Big Time.

"Keep your filthy hands off of him, you darn dirty freak!" Batwoman makes a joke. "We saved Terry in time so I can wipe the floor with you. And Bats, like it or not...We're facing him together."

Bruce wants Batman to leave Big Time to the police, but he refuses and heads out after him.

"Terry, leave him to the police." he said.

"You're starting to repeat yourself, you know that?"

Like Terry/Batman will listen for Gwen/Batwoman to follow him.

"We got this, old man!"

"(Sorry, Uncle Bruce.)" said Gwen. "(Batman!)"

Batman and Big Time begin to fight on a bridge.

"Let see you fly without those wings!" Big Time keeps on going.

Big Time seems to have the advantage, but Batman manages to blind him with a flash bomb and more fire with Batwoman's help.

"Boo!"

When Big Time tries to tackle Batman, they both go over the edge of the bridge.

"(Batman! Get out of there!)" Gwen panics.

Batman manages to hurl a cable to the bridge for Batwoman helps him out, and Big Time grabs onto Batman's boot.

"Help me...!" he pleas for their help.

Unfortunately, Big Time's hand slips, and he falls to a fate unknown.

"Hey!" Megan arrives too late. "Is he dead?"

"I doubt he is, Megan...Maybe." answered Batwoman. "Sorry, Bats."

Batman climbs back onto the bridge for Gwen to help him out and Bruce offers sympathy, but Terry is alright, realizing that he's finally outgrown Charlie.

"I'm sorry, I know how hard it is to go against a friend." Bruce said to Terry.

"I outgrew him, that's all."

For Terry and Gwen to walk it off and both Gwen and Bruce look down below to believe if Big Time survive the fall or not, who knows. As the two lovers talk it off for Terry to come to an understanding with his girlfriend. Oh, and Max gets the news later about Terry's safe return and what happened afterwards.

"Ah, Terry...?" Gwen checks on him.

He just holds hands with Gwen.

"I get it, Gwen, I'm sorry. I guess you can hold on in a fight unless one of us needs to be rescue. Thanks for saving me." he said. "I was just scared."

"Then don't be, Terry. Yes, we have thing we're stuck in to try...getting out most of the time. And if you're that worried about me, I am too with a lot." she said. "So here's the thing...You still care about me when we're together, and still work together to fight on without getting hurt from the bad guys we face with. I want to do that. I'm no longer the weakening that I use to be and with Charlie. I fought back."

So Terry saw the whole thing for Gwen to come through as herself and as Batwoman.

"(You got that right!)"

"Okay, I won't worry about you too much. Even though I love you a lot." he kisses Gwen to enjoy it.

That's one way to talk about fixing things together.

"Thanks, Terry, why don't we go out to make you feel a bit better."

"Maybe a walk now and we'll do that tomorrow." Terry said to Gwen.

"Yeah. For you, anything." she goes with it. "(Terry, you're not alone. You have me, Bruce, Ace, Max, Megan, Dana, Howard, Barbara, your Mother, little brother, and others to still be there by your side and always will be.)

From friendships and relationship lovers is nice to have people to help out one another, and not to those who want nothing but crime to continue doing, it's a very sad life for Charlie as Big Time, huh? For more parts, that man could've been saved if he wanted it, but didn't. Yeah...But Terry will move on now.


	48. Curse of the Kobra

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 48 – Curse of the Kobra: Parts 1 and 2

A truck drives up to the Nova Research Center and the guard tells the driver he has to leave. The driver claims that he has isotopes and the guard allows him inside. The driver goes in and releases several members of Kobra into the building. Them again?! Working quickly, the Kobra members run inside and steal an R-12 thermal bomb. However, when they try to load it onto their truck Batman and Batwoman make their presences known and they attack.

"I believe that's government property." said Batman after throwing his Batarang at them.

Bad to see see Kobra again, huh?

"(I can't believe we're stopping these guys again...)" Gwen tries to stay strong.

"Hey, Gweny, come on. Anything goes to for us to get pay back on these guys to try to take you as a weapon. But now...We're fighting back to putting an end to Kobra!"

"Get them!" one Kobra member said.

The two crime fighting duos give it their all against these guys. The goons are easy enough but the truck driver pulls out an electrified sanjiegun and manages to beat Batman into submission.

"(Batman!)"

With Batman down, the group escapes to have Batwoman help out Batman to stop her from chasing after them.

"We'll be back for you, Batwoman, this isn't over. Or should we say...Gwen Grayson. AKA the Burning Lily."

Once one member says it to know about Gwen and her powers to be Batwoman already, she leaves her guard down to stop one weapon to save Batman's life. Not stopping them will have to wait for another time again...

"They know who we are?!" shock Batwoman. "Oh, give me a break!"

With Batman hurt with a powerful electrical type of weapon, Batwoman helps her partner out.

"(We need to tell both Uncle Bruce and Megan about this.)" said Gwen. "(You okay, Batman?)"

Terry and Gwen return to the Batcave and laments about their failure.

"I know what you're going to say, Bruce. How's someone like me to protect the girl he loves from Kobra to keep getting away from us..."

Bruce tells Terry that he wants him to meet an old friend of his and gives him an address and instructions to ask for Kairi.

"Actually, I want for you, Terry, to see an old friend of mine." he said to Terry.

"And me, Uncle Bruce? Should I go with Terry?" Gwen asked.

"Gwen, you try to find out what you can about Kobra to give me every signal detail you can." said Bruce. "You gather more information, and Megan will tag any member of the group on the streets. The most wanted bounties to hunt down for the reward, dead or alive."

Megan Tsuki means bounty hunter business.

"I guess...I can try." she pats Ace. "Terry, please be careful."

He will to hug and kiss Gwen before leaving.

"It'll be fine, Gwen, this is something I have to do. You deal with the other one to stop Kobra from almost making you into a weapon and saving lives." said Terry. "Love you. We're getting close to move in together."

"I know, Terry, love you too." she said.

Once Terry leaves, it was time for the other three to get back to work.

"(So...Where should we start?)"

With address in hand Terry goes to see Kairi: a fish merchant. Hey, I remember her! She tries to sell him fish but when he tells her that Bruce sent him she brings him into the back where he finds a dojo. While Terry waits for Kairi, he's attacked by two men wielding bō staffs. They easily manage to bring Terry down and are only stopped when Kairi tells them to. She assesses Terry's style and determines his weakness is leaving himself open on the left.

"Bruce was right: You've got the moves, kid, but you lack discipline." she said to move staff around. "And you leave yourself open on the left side."

She explains that she and Bruce used to study under the same sensei and she now owns her own dojo and helped out Megan train a few times once.

"What happened to your accent?" Terry asks Kairi.

And she says...

"It helps sell fish."

She agrees to help Terry but only if he promises obedience. Cool! At home while Max and Gwen observes, Terry prepares a health smoothie that consists of 'eel juice', brown rice and tofu according to Kairi's instructions.

"Eel juice?" Max was confused.

"It should help out, right?"

Gwen's other self however hated the smell from it.

"(Ah! Sick man!)" she said.

"Yeah, and brown rice and tofu." Terry explains.

Max seems to not mind having some.

"Mmm, tasty."

"Bruce is sending me to this old guru to brush up on my martial arts." he said. "Gwen, you should come join me when you're down gathering details on Kobra."

"I like the idea very much." she said. "And hopefully for those snake people to not spread my secret identity to anyone else in Gotham, or the world."

Max already likes the sound of it.

"Schway! You know, I could use some new moves myself." Max does some cool fighting moves. "Ha! Hi-ya! You think this new guru could...?" she and Gwen see Terry downs the eel smoothie and shudders. "Never mind."

Max toys with the idea of trying to become a student herself, but quickly changes her mind after seeing Terry shudder down the concoction.

"(I told you it smelled bad.)" said Gwen's other self. "(Look, Gweny, the bad guys won't say on who you really are. I'm more worried about them targeting you still.)"

And many reasons why Terry, Bruce, and Megan are protecting Gwen a lot on this one...Or for what Max was told. For the hunt on Kobra still continues for Gwen to tell Bruce on what she knows 'from her last encounters with Derek Powers', and for Megan to hunting the other members down.

"(Finding terrorists type of snake members is like finding a needle in a hay stack.)"

On another day, Terry works on his balance by trying to balance a chair on his head. Kairi causes him to slip by throwing a piece of fish under his foot and tells him that things don't have to be fair.

"No fair!"

"Fair?" Kairi hears Terry complaining a bit. "The only fair around here is in September. Deal with it!"

After finishing his workout, Terry goes outside and sees another student, Zander, being escorted out by a couple of bodyguards. When Terry tries to greet him, the guards rudely shove him away and take Zander off in a limo. Terry leaves the dojo and takes a tram. Bruce and Gwen contact him over the phone asking how the lessons are going and Terry claims he doubts he'll ever get it.

"This is getting me nowhere..." he said.

"It'll take time, Terry. Lots of it." said Bruce.

"It'll happen, Terry." Gwen was hacking away. "Megan's looking hard on her end, and I...told what you already know about my past and being made. I just don't know a lot more of these Kobra members...I wish I did though."

Still lots to do.

"I get it, Gwen, it'll happen." said Terry to be smiling. "Also, any leads of the missing bomb yet?"

However, a man soon runs into Terry and when questioned, he claims that there's no time left for anyone. Members of Kobra arrive and start shooting at him. The man runs on but the Kobra members manage to catch, drug, and grab a vial from him. Back at the Batcave, Terry tells Bruce and Gwen about the incident and Bruce checks up on the man.

"(Is the man dead?)" ask Gwen's other half. "(Sure looks like it to me.)"

His name is Dr. Padu Banjahri and he's a paleontologist working at the Gotham Natural History Museum.

"Maybe it's time for a field trip."

"I'll get my computer things." Gwen joins with Terry. "Maybe we should get Maxie to tag along with us for the other brain part."

Terry, Gwen, and Max go to the museum and enjoy an interactive holographic display of a T-Rex protecting her nest. After this is over, they head into a closed display.

"Dr. Banjahari's office should be this way. Let's go, Gwen."

"You two go, I got this." she said to them.

While Max distracts one of the museum staff members, Terry and Gwen go to Dr. Banjahari's office and investigate.

"We're in, Uncle Bruce." Gwen begins to hack into the computer.

After checking his files, they both discover that he was recovering dinosaur DNA.

"A real dinosaur DNA...?" Terry was lost.

"(Say what...?)"

"But what do any of this mean?" same with Gwen and her other self.

Even Bruce can't make the connection of the stolen bomb and the DNA.

"I agree. What's the connection...?" and Bruce.

Once again while Gwen tries to learn more about Kobra again...Terry goes to the dojo and fails to beat his sparring partners. He's sent out for a dinner break and meets up with Zander. Zander seems friendly enough, even offering Terry a rice cake. Terry makes a mention about how he'd like pizza and Zander tells him that he's never eaten pizza, as he's been groomed to be the leader of his people since he was born. Terry suggests that they sneak out to Cheezy Dan's and get some pizza. Zander is confused when he comes to the strange place, and doesn't even know what people are doing when they are playing video games. Max shows up and takes Zander to play a VR game while Terry goes to order a pizza.

"Today you will become a man, my son."

"What?" Zander was lost.

As Gwen tracks down Terry to see how he was doing.

"I thought I find you and Max here, Terry." she said. "I won't tell...But who's that guy?"

"His name is Zander. Never gets out much to have pizza or play video games either." he explains.

A sad life for someone to never get out a lot, huh?

"Really? Well, he just like me then...A little."

While playing the game, Zander proves to be a good opponent, but because he doesn't understand the rules of the game, he loses to Max.

"Who's rad, who's bad, who's never been had?" Max sang for fun.

Zander is devastated at the loss, claiming that he's never lost before. Fortunately, Terry arrives with the pizza; they decide to eat, but Zander insists on a rematch.

"Is she always like this?" Zander asks Terry.

"I'm afaird so."

He then sees Gwen to somehow know her from somewhere, but she doesn't know of Zander at all.

"Hi, Zander, I hope you like the pizza and my friend Maxie too." she shakes hands with him. "I'm Terry's girlfriend, Gwen Grayson. He told me a lot about you since he started training with Kairi."

Before they can eat, however, J-Man's gang of Jokerz arrives and steal the pizza. Zander demands that they give it back and they simply throw a slice into his face. This angers Zander immensely but Terry manages to quell him. The Jokerz aren't done though, and blast Zander with a fire hose. This is the last straw, and Zander almost single-handedly defeats the gang, nearly killing J-Man.

"(As he loss his mind?!)"

His escorts arrive, however, and order him to return with them.

"So strange Zander is...He couldn't killed the J-Man." said Gwen.

For Zander had not only eyes on Gwen but Max the most...Terry continues his training with Kairi, and learns that because of Zander's escape, his guardians removed him from the dojo. She tells Terry not to worry about it, as she couldn't do anything more for Zander since his path had already been chosen for him, and the training continues.

Meanwhile, members of Kobra release gasses from a vial into three chambers holding some of their members. The men breathe the vapors and begin crying out in pain. Zander arrives and watches as the men transform into reptilian forms. He's pleased at the results but decides that there's one more thing that he wants to do before their plans are set in motion. The doctor in charge of the operation wonders about what Zander could want believing that he's anticipated his every need. Zander, however, doesn't think so. For one Gwen gets a call from someone unknown to hack into her phone easily for Megan to be on the other line to hear everything...

"Gwen...?"

"Megan-!" Gwen stops to hear a voice.

"Stop." said the person. "Look at your computer screen. I've send you something you may want to see before you try to become Batwoman to stop us Kobra."

The man said it loud and clear.

"(Kobra!)" shock the other half. "(Gweny, wait!)"

She sees on three men turning into human-like dinosaur people.

"What did you do to them?!"

"Once the gas is release, I can't fix it. My men have been looking for you to still have the fire weapon of yours...Unlike Mr. Powers and his son, we can do this the easy way or the hard way to get you to join us. Because if you don't, you know what will happen, right?"

Releasing the gas all over Gotham City to turn everyone else into monsters too?

"You wouldn't dare...!" this made Gwen mad to control her fire power.

"Then it's your choice. Come with us quietly or we'll make you with a hostage we have with us."

Seeing the risks was bad, Gwen had no choice.

"(Terry. Maxie. Megan. Uncle Bruce. I'm sorry...)" she gives in. "I'll come. Just don't hurt my friend."

"Good, the right's outside waiting just for you." said Zander. "See you then."

For Gwen to hack up for Megan to not track her down, this was getting from bad to worse.

"Gwen! Gwen!" she had to do something since Gwen was going out for Kobra to have her now. "Bruce...I have to contact you and Terry! Both Gwen and someone else is in danger, but who...?" Megan figures it out. "Max Gibson?!"

Back at home, Max talks to Terry about Zander and is rudely thrown off the line by Bruce.

"Max, get off the line! Some of us have work to do!" Bruce tells her to do it.

"Ouch." Terry/Batman said. "I better go pick up Gwen to get to work then."

There was a big problem, Terry couldn't find or contact Gwen anywhere.

"Well excuse me for living!" Max sticks her tongue out.

Her doorbell rings right after that, and she discovers that it's Zander. Zander orders her to go with him. Max refuses him and closes the door. Angered by her defiance, Zander breaks in and tries to force her to go with him. He succeeds, but not before Max manages to call up Batman alerting him to her plight.

"Bruce! It's me, Megan! Kobra has Gwen because of Max's life in danger!"

With Megan telling Bruce that, he tells Terry/Batman.

"Gwen...?" he alerts Terry right away. "Terry, get over to Max! Hurry! She and Gwen are both in danger!"

"What?!" he didn't like the sound of it at all. Batman reaches Max's house just in time to give chase to Zander's car. "Max!" However, when he reaches it, the truck driver attacks him with a pair of electrified nunchaku and Gwen all tied up in the front seat. "Gwen!"

"(Terry!)" Gwen couldn't fight back to get drugged with something injected into her body to transform. "Batman, they drugged me to make me surrender because of Max! I'm sorry...! I had no choice!"

Batman manages to disarm him, but the driver attacks him head on.

"Lose him." Zander gives his member a command.

Exhibiting massive strength, he rips off Batman's wings and sends him falling.

"Batman!" Gwen was worried. "Max...!"

"It's not your fault, Gwen! He knows and I do!" she gets it. "It's going to be fine."

Batman is just barely able to save himself, and both Gwen 'for Kobra to use her as a living weapon' and Max are taken away. For Megan arrive too late to try saving Terry first.

"Batman? Batman?! Terry..." she calls up her husband. "Bruce I found him but he's badly hurt. And Kobra got away with Max and Gwen...! This is really bad here."

Thanks to Megan's help, Terry wakes up in the Batcave and Bruce explains that he had a minor concussion and has four cracked ribs.

"Be happy you're still alive while you're in pain." he said. The cracked ribs will cause him pain when he moves and breathes.

"Max...! Gwen!"

"Hey!" Megan helps Terry out. "Careful, will you?"

"Easy there, we will find them. I'm more worried about Kobra using Gwen's fire powers." Bruce tells them both. "Megan, we're going to need a lot of help from you on this one."

This will prove to be a major setback in finding Max and Gwen as Megan watches on Terry for a bit.

"Leave it to me, Bruce." she said.

Bruce heads out to speak to Kairi about Zander's whereabouts. She only has a phone number, however. She also talks about her failure to teach Zander moral code through Bushido and feels guilty about it.

"He's in some kind of cult." she explains. "I don't know which one, but they're grooming him to be their leader. I wanted to make sure he wouldn't abuse the power."

Sad for Zander could've lived a normal life as a young teenage boy if he wasn't part of the Kobra group.

"So you figured you'd teach him Bushido." Bruce took a guess there.

"He needed a code. A philosophy. A sense of right and wrong. It worked for the Samurai warriors."

Some of them did back then and today, but not everyone can learn.

"But obviously not for Zander." he said to Kairi.

Back in the Batcave, Bruce checks the number and discovers that it belongs to a secret base of Kobra.

"This should be it..." Megan tries hacking in a bit more with her skills. "And...Oh! I got it! There's a lot they'll do with Gwen, force her to use her powers on the city to burn and take over while releasing the gas...I think it can turn people into some type of dinosaurs...Or so it would appear from the video they send to Gwen to force her to surrender for Max's safety. I should've been there for her!"

Bruce hugs his wife.

"It's not your fault, Megan. And neither is Gwen's...She was force to go. But I know we'll get her back."

In spite of his injuries, Terry heads off as Batman to save Max and Gwen.

"Megan, no one's to blame but the Kobra gang..." he said. "I will save Max and Gwen...Before it's too late. Just back me up."

For Megan to do so to handle some on the ground, Terry will have to do it in the air for the gas to be release that way.

"Right! Bruce, we're doing this. The drug I gave Terry should hold off the pain of his, but it still feel a bit painful on some parts when moving around."

It was better than nothing...

"Good luck, you two." said Bruce. "I don't want Gwen to fall to the dark side..."

A lot to be going on to have Gwen live a good life, huh? Meanwhile, Max wakes up in a lavish bed and discovers that she's wearing different clothes. Two women come in and claim that they are her servants, and that the master wants to see her. Max refuses and fights her way out of the room. Unfortunately, she cannot find a way out of the base, and her servants come after her. She manages to beat them both, but she's soon confronted by a dinosaur-like mutant. It captures her and takes her to Zander who is happy to see her. And with him was the tank of goop with Gwen trapped inside of it.

"Maxie! Don't!"

"Gwen!" she started to worry of her friend.

Max asks to know more about her situation and Gwen's too and Zander decides to agree.

"She's fine, Gwen is just a weapon for fire to work out so wonderful." he explains. "You are different o have other plans in-stored."

Zander explains that his DNA was synthesized and he was grown in an artificial womb being fed only specialized nutrients. His life was spent being taught military strategies, martial arts, and advanced weaponry. He was raised in this way so that he could become the perfect leader for Kobra, but Max realizes that they forgot to think about his desire for a mate, which is where she comes in.

"And of Gwen to be a powerful fire power of yours?" Max asks Zander.

"Once the gas is release...her powers to help them grow and destroy the ones who don't follow, even if it forces them all to bow to us of Kobra. A perfect plan to soon happen. And Gwen here agrees to do it without putting up a fight. Not like you, Max, I don't mind."

That's mess up for Gwen feels bad to not to do anything for her friend to be captured. Max still refuses Zander, and Dr. Childes suggests having her eliminated.

"I told you it would never work." said Dr. Childes. "I'll have her eliminated."

Zander refuses to allow that, as he's intrigued by Max's own free thinking.

"No!" he wants Max. "I like her. She's so different from these mindless automatons I'm surrounded by. She's...She's a person."

And not your type, dude!

"That's the problem."

Like the doctor will make Zander stop.

"What I want, I take." he said back.

Meanwhile, Batman checks up on the address Bruce gave him and makes his way inside.

"I double-checked that address you gave me." he tells Bruce about it. "It's a toxic waste company."

"Or so they say." said Bruce. "Can you think of a better way to make people want to avoid the place?"

This had Terry/Batman make a joke here...

"Call it a high school?"

However, Terry's ribs are still bothering him, and he doesn't notice that he's being followed. Oh, boy...Inside the base, Zander explains to Max that he sees dinosaurs as being the ultimate life forms and intends to combine their DNA with humans so that they will gain the one thing that they lacked: adaptability. By using splicing, he intends to create a new life form that will rule the earth. Splicing people with animal DNA again?

"Dinosaurs once ruled the world." Zander explains to Max. "They had strength, size..."

For a few of them for Max to see up close.

"But they weren't too swift in the adaptability department, were they?" she asked.

"No." he answered. "That's where humans came in."

When Max claims it can't be done, Zander shows her the splicing process, proving it can be done. Max figures out that the thermal bomb will be used to raise Earth's temperature, making it too hot for humans to survive but perfect for the cold-blooded dinosaurs. For one on why Gwen's powers will be used to be force to release the fire when doing it again. Max isn't interested in surviving and refuses him.

"No! Stop, Zander!" she was in pain for firing up so much. "Don't turn Maxie into a monster or I won't work for you!"

Zander uses Gwen's fire to get the energy to do more splicing again.

"Oh, you'll grow to liking it with your friend. Trust me. Now more fire please. Must have some heat going." Zander doesn't care, however, and orders Max to be spliced. "Splice her."

Using his stealth mode, Batman manages to listen in on a conversation about Max and saves her from being spliced.

"She's rude, she's sarcastic, and she has absolutely no respect." the doctor described Max's personality very well.

Batman was getting closer.

"Gotta be Max." And more fire power to get out of Gwen to be a painful one from the machine to be doing to her body. Well, Batman does come to Max's rescue just in the nick of time. "What was he going to do to you?" he asks Max.

"Turn me into a dinosaur."

Unfortunately, it's too late for her to escape, as the Kobra base is a flying ship and it's taken off for Megan had to get something to ride on to catch up with the others somehow 'which she does to take flight'.

"This is not good...!" said Batman. "Max, where's Gwen?"

"In the control room force to make more mutant Dino freaks on the Kobra members. She's in pain, Batman." she said to worry about her friend. "We have to save her."

And this angers the young Dark Knight.

"And we will...! I won't let them have their way with her.!" Batman got mad to punch something. "I love Gwen to live a normal life."

Max tries to tell Batman the plan, but the duo is assaulted by the truck driver and another Kobra goon. Batman manages to beat the driver, and a mysterious individual in a black outfit saves Max. The ship makes it to their destination: a dormant volcano sitting on top of an extremely deep rift. They prepare to drop and detonate the thermal bomb thereby bringing up magma for Gwen's powers to work to make it all happen.

"It's time, Gwen, make us proud." said Zander. "You have anything to say before we use you again?"

She has one to handle this fight alone to have her friend Max be put in danger a lot than Gwen herself.

"I do...Zander...You can make me do stuff, force me to work a lot, use my fire powers, and I don't care what you say to me, but...I'll never help you kill the many people...!" she said to be very serious. "Ever since I was made, I was told to be made by the Powers company and sold by you Kobra people to rule the world, to make your living weapon worth it for power, and never about their conditions. And I never liked my powers at all to have a few people to be by my side. Uncle Bruce took me in, Megan showed me everything, Batman helped me out a lot, I have friends like Howard, Max, Dana, even Nelson, and I love one boy to care on who I really am name Terry McGinnis. Even his mother and little brother like me to think about us moving in together one day. I want to live to be me even if you all know I'm Batwoman only, she's me and I am here to control pure fire powers to save lives and use it for good. Never for evil! To have a half partners like Commissioner Barbara Gordon as my half mother and Dick Grayson as my half father, is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I may not be the best human in the world for a half breed and clone, but I love being who I am to never be alone again."

Fortunately, before they can drop the bomb...

"Touching...Now create our fire." Zander forces Gwen to do it again. "For the mammals had their chance in life, now it begins a new."

That's when Batman arrives and stops them.

"Batman!"

Batman of course breaks Gwen out of the tank first to be free at last to get fresh air to make her real fire come back to her again, and given an antitode from the drug on her body to move around normally again. Enough for them to hug.

"Gwen." he was happy to save his lover. "You're okay."

"I thought you were dead..." Gwen cries with tears of joy. "But I knew you would come. Is Max...?"

"She's safe."

Helping out one another, to stopping the others with Zander left standing.

"Zander! I'm done playing around...!" Gwen fires up in anger to have a new trick she can do of a animal form of fire. "You want to heat, then...I'LL TURN IT UP!"

Cool, she was faster and stronger to heal up quickly.

"These people tried to raise you without family, or friends, or love." Batman explains to Zander. "But you couldn't get along without those things, could you?"

"You're right. It was my weakness." Zander splices himself and attacks.

"(Heads up, lovers!)" Gwen's other half gives them a warning. "(This idiot just transformed!)"

Batman fights back, but Zander's new form proves to be too powerful to even withstands Gwen's fighting skills and fire to not hurt his new form at all; and he manages to try and drop the bomb.

"No! We're too late!"

However, the control module has been deactivated and the bomb is disarmed.

"The bomb's been deactivated." said the doc.

Kairi then jumps in and reveals that she's the one who stopped the plan and some help from Megan's hacking skills.

"I'll be waiting outside, you guys!" she said on the computers. "They won't do it now thanks to me and Kairi's! (Be careful...Terry, Max, and Gwen.)"

As Megan wait from them outside of the ship. Kairi apologizes to Zander for failing him, but he is furious since now he won't be able to survive Earth's normal temperature now that he has been spliced.

"I failed you, Zander. I thought I could put you on the right path."

More like Zander's screwed now.

"Failed me? You've destroyed me!" he said in a different tone of voice of his. "Without the heat from that bomb, how long do you think I'll be able to survive like this?"

"You've chosen your own path, kid." Kairi is unsympathetic, however, and attacks him.

Batman and Gwen join in on the fight, and together the trio cause Zander to destroy the ship's controls. Even one more fire blast from Gwen Grayson gives it her all.

"Zander!" she attacks. "This ends...NOW!"

The ship goes up in flames because of it but enough to slow Zander down for good to stop the plans, and the Kobra members make for the escape pods. The windshield breaks open and the cold air causes Zander to fall.

"Kind of weak from the cold air huh?" Batman questions Zander. "You only have yourself to blame."

Batman heads out to find Max and discovers she's in one of the escape pods for him and Gwen to join her.

"Gwen!" Max was happy to see her friend again.

And she turns off the powers to feel weak to be saved by Batman.

"I'm good...I'm just a little tired after doing that on my own. I did great!" she said.

"Even better than me." he said to wonder where Kairi is. "Where's Kairi?"

"Is that her over there?"

Unfortunately, a flaming part of the ceiling collapses and Zander revives.

"(Hey, old lady! Get out of there!)" said Gwen's other half.

Feeling that she failed Zander and that it's her responsibility to stop him, Kairi says her final words to Batman, forces him, Gwen, and Max to leave, and attacks Zander head on.

"Keep your guard up, kid, particularly on your left side!" said Kairi to get the other three off the ship in time.

The ship collides with the volcano ad Megan follows the escape pod, and Batman, Gwen and Max manage to escape. With Kobra stopped again and Zander dead...sad to say but he did this to him, the world was saved for the chemicals to die out from Megan's water item to make sure of it.

"Farewell, Kairi..." she was sad. "You will be missed."

For Max was happy to be alive and Megan reporting back to Bruce on the news and a life to be lost 'to also getting paid later', Terry and Gwen embrace to hugging a lot to kissing too at each other.

"Gwen, you were great out there." he kisses her some more. "I'm glad you're not one of them."

"Thanks, Terry, we did it together." she said with joy. "For Kairi wanted us to live. She did try to save Zander and couldn't. All we can do now is to keep on stopping crime even Kobra. I'm not afraid of them anymore!"

A very new change, I like that.

"(That's my girl!)"

Even Gwen's other self as Batwoman thinks so too. Back at Kairi's dojo, Bruce, Megan, Gwen, Max and Terry drop white lotus flowers into her pond as a tribute to Kairi sacrifice.

"She was a good teacher." said Terry.

"The best." and Bruce.

"I'll remember her always." same with Megan.

A cold feeling to come by...but for once, it was a good sign.

"A bit chilly." said Gwen to cover herself up to feel warm. "Enough to live with."

"And it feels good." Max agrees.

For the flowers to float in the waters, Kairi will never be forgotten on what she has done for Batman to fight from the pain to recover, Gwen to withstand it all to control her fire a bit more to fighting back to learn of her awful past to hang out with Barbara a lot and seeing her father for the first time in person to feel happy about it. And with her and Terry waiting to see if Terry's mother will allow for her son to move out with Gwen...it's only a matter of time to wait and more love to happen. Enough to know of love and power is enough to control to be yourself still, and no one else.

"(I will still fight on as myself and as Batwoman.)" Gwen said to keep that promise to herself to do. "(I am not a weapon to be use for evil, nor will anyone else like me...)"

For Kairi did tried to do for Zander and failed, Gwen will not be like that at all...A new change and a new life, are all good things to do and to have.


	49. Countdown

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 49 – Countdown

At Gotham University, an announcer inaugurates the World Science Symposium, a gathering of the world's greatest scientific minds to share ideas for new technologies. However, before the announcer can continue, Mad Stan hacks into his video feed and starts another one of his rants, claiming that technology is making people soft, and the only sane solution, as usual, is to 'blow it all up!'. Ah, again...?

"You think these ideas are new?" he starts blowing things up as always. "Forget it, man! It's the same old story. We're a push-button society. Technology makes our heads soft, our bodies weak, but I've got a new idea. Blow it up! Blow it all up!"

Batman arrives with Batwoman and they both confront him.

"Then how are suppose to make coffee?" Batman questions his enemy.

"And you think just blowing things up helps out other, Mad Stan?" same with Batwoman. Well, it doesn't! It really does not do anything."

From fighting with items to fire to stop this man hating machine person.

"(Be careful! Mad Stan's loaded with tons of weapons today!)" Gwen tells her partner.

"We're slaves to the machine, Batman and Batwoman! Someone's got to stop the madness!"

A quick fight ensues and though it seems to be a stalemate at first, Stan manages to escape.

"Great...He got away, again!" Batwoman argued. "Let's start searching all over town again once we get everyone out of here."

Out at the train station, Ro and Zeta 'Zeta's back with a new human girl friend helping him out' arrive in Gotham, believing that Dr. Selig is supposed to attend the Symposium. Ro is surprised that Zeta knows his way around, and he explains that he's been to Gotham before—he even knows Batman and Batwoman personally. Ro is skeptical, but Zeta`s earnest expression convinces her. However, Agent Bennett and the NSA are waiting at the station for him. They attack Zeta, causing the duo to run through the streets. As the agents pursue the duo across an intersection, Bennett tells an oncoming truck to halt, declaring themselves to be federal agents. The truck driver, Mad Stan, sees what he believes is another example of the government trampling someone's 'basic human rights'. The agents corner Zeta in an alleyway and hit him with an electromagnetic device that shuts him down. However, before they can take Zeta in, Stan rams his truck into the alleyway, grabs Zeta, and speeds away. Stan takes Zeta to his hideout, a houseboat in the harbor, and greets his pet Chihuahua, Boom-Boom. The dog is wary of Zeta and touches him, disrupting his holographic disguise and alerting Stan that he is really a robot. Believing that Zeta was sent by the government to kill him, Stan grabs a bomb and decides to turn the tables. Meanwhile, Ro calls 9-1-1 and says she needs Batman and Batwoman, thinking that the GPD keep him 'in a closet somewhere'.

"I saw the Royal Flush Gang. Yeah. And they were trashing City Hall along with Inque and Blight and a gazillion Jokerz."

Talking way too fast for Ro to try to get the two crime fighting duo to come and help her out, but they're not buying any of it.

"Kid, this line is for emergency calls only!" the lady said to Ro. "You don't want to get in trouble, do you?"

"I'm already in trouble! I need Batman! Or Batwoman! Or both! Come on! You got him in a closet there, don't you?" the operator hangs up on her. "Twip."

The operator dismisses her as a crank, but, luckily for her, Bruce is monitoring the emergency band for Megan to send to her husband and sends Terry and Gwen to meet her.

"You get that, Bruce?" she asked.

"I got it, Megan, thanks." he does the rest to tell the other two about it right away.

As soon as the operator hangs up on Ro, a gang of Jokerz approaches, planning to mug her. Ro tries to run, but they tackle her and prepare to assault her with electric knuckles. Fortunately, Batman arrives and takes out the gang. For Batwoman to have the Jokerz's members pants on fire to scared them off.

"You mess with fire, then you all get burned."

"(Hey, take it easy. We're weakening them, not to kill.)" Gwen tells her other self that.

"Hey, they'll live. See?" she said. "I wasn't really going to kill the clown boys...Tell her, Bats."

Ro explains Zeta's plight and joins up with Batman and Batwoman.

"Zeta was picked up by some muscle-bound gorilla with a thing for explosives." Ro explains to them.

They could already tell who she was talking about.

"Mad Stan." said Batman.

"(He has Zeta?!)" surprised Gwen. "(I'm surprised to be seeing our robot friend again with a new one.)"

"What's your name, kid?"

"Ro." she answered. "Please, you two have to help me."

Elsewhere, Mad Stan drives dangerously through the city and reactivates Zeta. He tells him that Ro is hiding from the feds and gives him an address to find her.

"Nice man, but he should drive more carefully." he said to then walking off.

Zeta heads off to the address for her to do some and for Gwen/Batwoman to help her out 'since Ro was also a good hacker'. Batman and Ro go to investigate a boat that is registered under one of Stan's aliases.

"Got something?" Ro asked.

"(Got one.)" Gwen shows the place to the other two. "(This is the best area where Mad Stan could be hiding in.)"

"Good work, Gwen." he then tells Ro on what to do next. "I'll go. You're staying here."

Neither of them don't want Zeta's friend to be put in danger.

"But..."

"Don't make me lock you in!" Batman warns Ro.

"Hey, just doing what's best." said Batwoman.

"And just what am I supposed to do while you're gone?" she asked.

Batman turns on the radio.

"Enjoy."

"(Sorry.)" Gwen said to Ro.

"Thanks, heaps." Ro said sarcastically.

Once inside, Batman and Batwoman both are almost immediately attacked by Stan's security system.

"(Batman!)"

Luckily for Batman manages to disable that easily enough but Stan doesn't attack. Ro follows they in, and they both burst into Stan's cabin, and find him in a drugged slumber.

"Who does this to themselves...?" Batwoman doesn't get it. "It's kind of mess up."

Boom-Boom runs in and starts barking at the intruders and they notice a disk attached to his collar.

"Ew, a barking rat." said Ro.

"No, it's Stan's dog Boom-Boom." Batman sees the disc to get it. "And I think this here's for Batwoman and me."

On it is a message from Stan, explaining that he's sent Zeta out with a 'special delivery' that's set to go off at midnight, and put himself out for at least 24 hours so they can't get the destination out of him. They have less than half an hour to find him and with Zeta's ability at disguise, it won't be easy.

"(I can try to hack through the cameras to find Zeta...)"

"And that's a problem why?" ask Ro.

"(Not enough data that I didn't get from him the last time we met.)" Gwen explains.

Batman decides that he'll have to find help and leaves Ro with a radio.

"No, but I think I might have a better idea." said the young dark knight. "Batwoman, you keep looking around until you get something, and keep your eyen so n Ro for me."

"Can do, Bats! Leave this to Gweny and me!"

Seeing that they have no other choice...Batman finds Agent Bennett and asks him for help but he is very uncooperative, unconcerned about the lives that might be lost. However, Agent West manages to plant a tracer on the Batmobile and they prepare to follow him. Batman contacts Bruce, who informs him that Stan's rants are usually triggered by something on the news.

"Maybe Megan and I can find something to use." he said.

"We'll get one before you find Zeta in time." and her. "And before the city doesn't go ka-boom."

They proceed to check the latest sound bites for anything that might have gotten Stan angry. Please do it quickly...Meanwhile, Zeta is assaulted by the same group of Jokerz that attacked Ro. However, they are unprepared for Zeta's superhuman strength and are quickly dealt with. One of the Jokerz goes over the side of the highway and lands on the Batmobile. Batman interrogates him and gets a lead on Zeta's whereabouts.

"I got a lead." said Batman to tell Bruce and Megan about it. "He's heading towards the Department of Health."

Batman calls up Bruce to let him know and Bruce explains Mad Stan's plan: the Department of Health is looking to raise the price of pet licenses, which angered Stan because of Boom-Boom.

"Now we got him..." Megan was happy to get something.

Batman arrives at the department with only three minutes till midnight. With only one minute left, he finally finds Zeta and tackles him.

"Zeta! Stop!"

"Batman...?" the robot was confused.

Grabbing the bomb, Batman hurls it out the window just before it goes off.

With the immediate danger averted, Batman and Zeta head out of the building but the NSA arrives and tells them that the building is surrounded. Zeta decides that Batman should leave and he will face Bennett alone. The NSA agents storm the place and watch as Batman leaves the building. They decide to let him go as they only want Zeta. A search of the building ensues and they discover a lone teenager inside but after scanning him they leave him alone since he's truly human. As they leave Terry smiles at the deception.

"Hey, Bats? Did it all go well?" Batwoman contacts Terry.

"I'm good." he said. "The bomb is stopped and Zeta's safe."

In the Batmobile, 'Batman' removes his disguise revealing himself to be Zeta.

"(I guess we pulled it off after all since I track him down and you did the rest, Batman. Good job.)" Gwen helped out a lot. "(I'm getting really good at this.)"

Later, Zeta destroys the tracking device and tells Batman that Dr. Selig has already moved on and they have to go.

"What will you do now?" Batman asks them.

"Keep on searching the doctor we're looking for until we find him."

Good thinking there, Zeta.

"More searching we go." Ro kisses Batman as thanks, saying that Terry and Gwen are real friends. "Thanks. You and Batwoman are good friends, both of you."

They say good-bye to Batman and Batwoman and they continue on their quest.

"And there they go..." said Batwoman.

"(Bye, you two! Hope we meet again! Good luck on your journey!)" Gwen says goodbye.

As the two call it a night, Ro and Zeta walk on for them to be more than friends, are they though? Are they really a couple...?

"I can't believe you actually trusted Mad Stan!" Ro corrects on Zeta's mistake. "I mean, wasn't the name kind of a giveaway?"

He didn't mean to from the likes of Mad Stan.

"But he seemed so...cheerful." so the robot thought.

"You are so clueless."

Nah, Ro was happy to see Zeta was alive and still functioning and such. As was good to think that maybe they are more than friends.


	50. Unmasked

Batman Beyond 'Fan Fiction Story'

By Tayla Drago

Episode# 50 – Unmasked

At Terry's house for him and Gwen to be seeing Mary and Matt a lot to get to know them well, the decision of them to have them move in together 'of the place Bruce/Batman and Megan hang out at' happens today.

"Ooo...Busted."

Matt was teasing his older brother.

"Shut up, Matt." he said. "We're not."

"We're just talking about us moving..." Gwen gets back to talking to Mary. "Ah, so how about it. Ms. McGinnis?"

Looking at them to see how good they're working and taking care of the house sometimes while going to school and seeing each other, to be smart enough to do so.

"Hmm...Gwen, you're a good person to come into my son's life, and you, Terry, to fall for this girl than with Dana to had some trouble times." she said. "And because of this...If you two are working well to still finish high school and getting something bigger to do, then let me say this – it'll happen once you two graduated next year."

Once Mary said that, Terry and Gwen were hugging to be cheering with joy.

"Yes!" Gwen was happy. "Terry! We get to live together in that new apartment area!"

"Thank you, Mom!"

"Cool! I get to see Gwen anytime." Matt was too.

With that taken care of, there was one thing left to do...

"I'm glad to approve of it. Now, you two. Get to school for the fundraiser day. Remember?" she reminds them. "None of you don't want to be late."

And they get to it by taking the train there.

"We should go!" the two lovers said together.

And with that, they get going to take care of one problem so far...

"(Now that's one for the record book. Nice work, you two!)" said Gwen's other half.

At Hamilton Hill High School, the students are busy cleaning after working on a fundraiser. Terry arrives late with Gwen and quickly apologizes, Max is curious as to what villain kept him busy this time.

"Hi, Maxie!"

"Hi, Max. Sorry we're late."

"What new threat was it this time? Root-rot-man?" she teases them.

"Well, besides Terry and I moving in together once we both finish with high school, so that's good." said Gwen. "But that's not all..."

"This time it really was Mr. Wayne. He needed a ride. His back again." However, Terry reveals he simply had to drive Bruce to an appointment and notices Dana's absence. "Where's Dana?"

"I thought she would wait for us to help her out today."

Both Terry and Gwen thought about it, but it looks like she already left.

"She got tired of waiting for you. Sounds like an old song, doesn't it?" said Max. "But she knows of you two and doing the rest for us later. You both owe her for it."

Max reveals she left as she got tired waiting for Terry as usual and soon Nelson and his friends appear and ridicule Terry for being late and 'assure' him that Batman appeared in his place, surprising Terry.

"Well if it isn't Mr. School Spirit and his girlfriend." said Nelson. "Don't worry, I'm helping Dana do the rest of this junk here."

"Don't worry, McGinnis, Batman filled in for ya and Gwen."

The two of Nelson and his friend walk away laughing. And what they said, something tells me it was Max's doing.

"Oh...That doesn't sound good..." she said. "Ah, Maxie...?"

"What was that about?" Terry questions his friend.

"I...um...made a little joke."

She didn't, right...?

"What kind of little joke?" Terry asks Max again.

"Just something' about how this school sees more of Batman than it does of you." Terry glares at her. "I know, it it wasn't that funny."

Max confesses that she made a joke about how the school sees more of Batman than it does of Terry.

"Oh, Maxie..."

"(You idiot!)" Gwen's other half said.

"Max!" same with Terry.

"I'm sorry, okay?" she explains.

"You can't even joke about this, understand?!" He is furious, but Max doesn't see what the big deal is.

Max kind of needs to be more careful about Terry being Batman and Gwen too as Batwoman.

"It just slipped out. And I don't get what the big deal is anyway. If a few more people knew your secret, especially a certain girlfriend like Gwen here."

Terry refuses point-blank, and reminds her of an earlier incident with the 'Diaz Kid'.

"Oh yeah, just like with the Diaz kid, remember how easy that got." Terry said that for Max looks questioningly at him. "Come on, it was all over the net."

However this only confuses Max as she has never heard of this event.

"I don't think Maxie has heard about that event, Terry." said Gwen. "We can tell her about it."

"Tell me what?" ask Max. "The net's a big place, McGinnis."

And from there it was story time for Terry and Gwen too told Max all about it...

"It happened right after I started being Batman. And Gwen to train in controlling her powers, even more as Batwoman. There was this kid, Miguel Diaz. Around the same age as my brother. He was ganzo over the new action-figure, Soldier Sam."

Terry proceeds to tell her the story to prove his point and a bit from Gwen who was with him, from a time just after he became Batman and Batwoman:

During a community picnic, a young boy, Miguel Diaz, is playing with his 'Soldier Sam' action figures.

"Shouldn't he be playing?" the woman asks the mother of Miguel.

"He is playing."

"I mean with the other children."

His mother, thinking it would be healthier for him to learn to play with other children, tells him to put his toys away.

"Miguel." his mother calls out to him. "Why don't you give Soldier Sam a rest and go play with the other boys?"

"But, Mom."

"Come on, you have been doing that all day. Time for something else." she said.

For Miguel to try, it's not easy for him to try to make friends.

"Uh...such aggressive behavior." said the other mother.

Miguel obeys, but as soon as he is out of her sight, he breaks away and decides to climb a nearby art sculpture—'Soldier Sam to the tower!'. In another part of town, agents of Kobra are breaking into a bank. Batman and Batwoman are lying in wait for them, and breaks up the robbery.

"It's Batman and Batwoman! They've been waiting for us!"

"But how...?"

As the Kobras flee, Batman pursues in the Batmobile.

"(This way!)" Gwen felt where Kobra was going to. "(We can still stop them!)"

The Kobras' vehicle fires a missile that misses Batman but hits the art sculpture, which begins to burn and topple.

"Bats!" Batwoman sees trouble. "There's a little kid in danger!"

Seeing Miguel on the roof, trapped by the flames, Batman abandons the chase and flies down to land in front of him while Batwoman absorbs the flames around her entire body.

"(I got the fire, Batman!)" Gwen/Batwoman handles the rest. "(You go save that boy! Hurry!)"

Miguel recoils in fright—in costume, Batman bears an unfortunate resemblance to Soldier Sam's nemesis.

"It's all right. Don't be afraid." said the young Dark Knight.

This little boy was too scared to do anything...

"Get away from me!"

I can't blame the kid for this.

"Hey, I'm one of the good guys."

"You don't look like a good guy." he said.

"This, it's just to scare the bad guys really." Batman tells Miguel. "And my partner up there, she's like me too! Come on. You have to trust me."

Seems to be working so far for the boy to trust in those two.

"Um..."

Batman tries to reach for him, but he runs away, falling and hanging onto the ledge of the roof. The building is about to collapse, and Terry, desperate, pulls up his mask to reveal his face, and show Miguel that he's just a normal guy.

"Ah, slag it!" Terry pulls off his mask. "Look!"

Miguel takes his hand, and the two fly to safety just before the building collapses just as Batwoman taking out the fire. Safe with his mother to take off, Terry made a mistake 'to have no choice' for Gwen to witness.

"(Terry...?)"

"I had to do it, okay?" he said to his girlfriend.

"And now you have to take it up with the old man and his wife." said Batwoman. "Nice going, Bats!"

However, Max believes that she has proven her point, seeing that Miguel was saved and there weren't any problems by revealing his face.

"So you save the kid. That's all..."

"But there's more it, Maxie. A lot more." Gwen tells her friend.

"There is...?" she asked.

She attempts to drag Terry and Gwen away to find Dana, but Terry stops her and resumes telling the story as there was a lot more than what he just told her.

"Far from it." and Terry.

At Kobra headquarters, the cell leader wants to know how Batman and Batwoman knew about the robbery. He interrogates one of his men with a mind scanner that can produce visual images of a person's memories. The Kobra is revealed to have spoken with a depositor at the bank, his brother, over a cell phone. The leader orders him executed by dropping him into a snake pit. Then they all see the evening news, the lead item of which is Miguel being interviewed after the fire, and saying that Batman's just a regular guy—without his mask. Miguel will be in danger!

"I'm not scared of him. Batman's just a regular guy like everyone else, and his partner Batwoman to be a nice lady."

Max, Gwen, and Terry move their conversation to a bench, where she is surprised that Miguel actually revealed that he saw Terry's face on live television 'well sort of'.

"So the kid got on TV and told the whole world how he saw you without your mask?" Max asks the two.

"Yep."

Only to see Terry's face as Batman and not Gwen as Batwoman.

"And you, Gwen?"

"No, just Terry who did it." she answers back.

"And the old man, he saw the report? Even Megan Tsuki?" Max akss another question.

She then asks if Bruce and Megan both saw the news and Terry confirms it and resumes telling the story.

"How could he not, it was the news bite of the day." Terry said.

"(And don't get us started with Megan who heard about it too!)" Gwen;s other self said out loud.

Before long, the news is all over town, and Bruce is furious. Terry tries to soothe him, insisting that his identity is safe, since Miguel doesn't know who he is. Bruce says he's missed the point: by announcing that he's seen his true face, Miguel has made himself a target for Batman's enemies.

"You made that boy into a target." said Bruce.

"And because of it, I have to keep an eye until the other members of Kobra are caught!" Megan said. "I mean come on, Terry! What were you thinking?! And for once from Bruce's arguments, I agree with him to be mad at you!" she turns to Gwen next. "Gwen!"

"What?" this made her jumpy a little. "I was putting out the fire while it was going on, sorry. But we'll make sure Miguel is be safe. I promise."

At Bruce's insistence, Terry and Gwen keep a constant watch on Miguel, but pleads that Terry can't be stuck to that duty forever while Gwen was going along for the ride. Bruce relents and promises to call Barbara to arrange police protection.

"Megan, can you and Barbara take turns watching on the boy next for Terry and Gwen?" Bruce asks his wife.

"I'm on it!" she said. "And you just give Barbara a ring for me. (The things I have to put up sometimes with Terry's clumsiness.)"

As soon as Terry hangs up, he sees a gang of Kobras try to abduct Miguel outside his mother's apartment.

"Incoming snake trouble!" Batwoman points out. "Right on time for some butt kicking time!"

Terry and Gwen intervene and saves him.

"(We'll save you, Miguel!)"

A police car arrives, and Terry gratefully hands Miguel over to them.

"We'll take the kid in police custody now." said the officer. They say he's being taken into protective custody.

All was good, well...for Gwen to sense something off about all of this.

"(Huh? Oh, no...More danger? Where at...?)"" she had trouble finding it. "(Miguel...)"

Terry tells Bruce that Miguel has been picked up, but Bruce tells him that Barbara was in a meeting and he couldn't get a hold of her and neither could Megan.

"Oh, no!" said Megan.

"I didn't." Bruce tells Terry and Gwen. "She was in a meeting. I couldn't get through." Bruce tries calling to Terry to see if he was still there. "Terry?"

"(Miguel!)" shock Gwen and her other half.

"Son of a gun!"

"I think I just handed Miguel over to Kobra." Terry curses, realizing his mistake.

Hard for Max to hear that part next...

"The cops were Kobra agents?" Max asks Terry about it.

"Yeah, they must have figured I would be watching over Miguel, so they set up a distraction and to with both Gwen and me." he said. "The old man never would have fallen for it."

"No, Uncle Bruce would stop them all in seconds." said Gwen. "Knowing him and Megan, the fight would've been over in seconds."

From back then, yeah...they would've won a fight with them working together.

"Hey, don't put yourself up. You and Gwen were just starting out, remember?" Max hears the rest of the story.

"(Come on...Get on with the rest of it please.)"

Searching the city desperately for Miguel, Terry realizes that the car was probably real, meaning that it was stolen and what Gwen can gather.

"Hey, Gwen..." Terry/Batman asks for her help.

"(I'll try...)" she has something. "(Got it. Uncle Bruce, I'm sending one for you and Megan to locate up on for the police cars ID numbers to find.)"

She gets it down for Megan to take the back way.

"Roger that, Gwen, thanks!"

Still searching around...

"They've ditched the cars." Batman tells Bruce. "Don't see the boy."

"(I hope Miguel's not hurt...)" Gwen was worried.

While Batwoman wanted to beat up more Kobra members.

"Wait until I get my flaming hot hands on them all!"

Then Bruce tells the two on what to do next...

"Follow them." he said.

"Like you had to tell me or Gwen."

Bruce does a search for the car's tracer, and locates Kobra's hideout.

"I found it." he said. "I leave the rest to you two while I tell Barbara and Megan about it."

At the hideout, the leader places the mind-reader on Miguel's head, telling him to concentrate on the day of the fire, and especially on Batman's face after he pulled up his mask. Miguel is scared, so the leader calms him by placing his Soldier Sam figure in his hand.

"Solider Sam, he's my hero." said Miguel. "I wanna go home."

The image resolves itself, and the leader smiles. He orders his soldiers to drop Miguel in the snake pit, but just then Batman and Batwoman arrived and attack.

"Hurting a child...So mess up!" Batwoman brings on the heat. "The heat is on!"

"(It's over, Kobra people!)"

they both subdue the soldiers and the leader, who laughs and tells Batman it's too late: he's already uploaded the image to every Kobra computer in the world, and it will only be a matter of time before they identify him. Not even hacking through wouldn't stop it.

"A little help, Batwoman...?" he was worried.

"(I'm afraid they made a program that won't allow me to do it!)" Gwen panics. "(This is bad...)"

He hears the police pull up outside, and decides to take his own way out.

"I'll be remembered..." Declaring his mission accomplished, he jumps into the snake pit.

That's one way to die so mess up-like. Terry shields Miguel from the gruesome sight and Gwen turns away too.

"That's the last of one member who mess up our lives..."

"(Still, he would've been brought to justice.)" Gwen then sees something that was very good. "(Batman, look! You're going to be okay! See?)"

And they look at the screen and smiles: the face of Soldier Sam has been superimposed on his own.

"You two are also my real heroes." he said.

Finishing his story, Terry concludes that Miguel must not have gotten a good look at him to begin with, and instead just gave Batman his 'hero's' face.

"I guess in a child's eye can make him see what real super heroes can do."

Once Megan, Barbara, and the real cops arrived to stop Kobra, all was good.

"Nice work." she then says this to Bruce. "All good here, Bruce, love you."

"I love you too, Megan." he said back. "You all did great today."

Max asks how he can be sure, as Terry catches a stray soccer ball and tosses it back to the kid who's come to get it.

"From looking scared and seeing lot of smoke, he won't know who Gwen and I really are under the masks of ours." he said. Terry says it's because the kid is Miguel, who's now learned to play with other children. Terry is confident that Miguel doesn't remember what Batman really looks like.

"And seeing Miguel to live a normal life as a child to making friends, he'll be just fine now." said Gwen. "I love happy endings."

However, as Terry, Gwen, and Max walk away, Miguel glances over Terry's shoulder with a knowing smile on his face 'to keep it a secret about Terry McGinnis as Batman to himself only'. Smart boy he is.

"We all do." said Max.

"And for that..." Terry kisses Gwen. "Beside us making out and doing normal things, we should go out and celebrate for us to be moving out soon."

Sounds good for Gwen.

"Oh, yes, Terry." she kisses Terry back. "You're the best man to ever love. Let's go out for some pizza."

"(Pizza time, baby! Yea!)"

"I want to come too!" and Max.

For Terry and Gwen to be holding hands to be moving in together once they finish with high school real soon, it good to looking forward to something and still work for Bruce 'to get paid for this type of job to be okay'. A good life to keep things a secret, even for a little boy to be saved to know who the real heroes are.

"So much to look forward to, Terry, I can't wait."

"And that doesn't mean we won't stop there either. Both you and I are looking forward to a better future."

And they will too for Max could already tell.

"(Those two were simply meant to be in love...)" she said.

You said it...And that's it. For this part end 'for now on this one' more of the real ending to it way later on, promise. That's another DCAU cartoon to be done now from Batman Beyond with movie. Good, huh? And more next time other ones. Later! Keep that burning feeling of good things to come you in the future.

Then End.


End file.
